Pete Alonso's key error part of porous defense that let down Mets

New York Post

19-05-2025

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On the first play of the bottom of the first in Sunday's Subway Series finale, Mark Vientos bungled a Paul Goldschmidt grounder, which allowed Goldschmidt to reach.
Goldschmidt scored later in the inning on Cody Bellinger's two-run double.
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The misplay set the tone for the Mets, as their defense let them down early and late in an 8-2 loss at Yankee Stadium.
And it was Pete Alonso's wild throw home on Jorbit Vivas' grounder to first with Jasson Domínguez at third base in a tie game that all but gave the Yankees the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth.
The play came with the infield in after an 11-pitch at-bat by Vivas, who hit an innocent-looking chopper that Alonso fielded cleanly.
3 Mets' Jeff McNeil, right, reacts after a run scored on a throwing error by Pete Alonso during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees Sunday, May 18, 2025
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3 Mark Vientos (27) makes an error attempting to throw a runner out in the first inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium.
Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
With the infield in, Alonso was seemingly in good position to get the speedy Domínguez at home for the second out.
Instead, the first baseman completely airmailed the throw, giving Francisco Alvarez no chance to even make an attempt on the ball.
It was part of a rough night overall for Alonso, who was part of a top of the lineup that failed to produce for the Mets.
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He went 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts, joining Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto in a top three of the lineup that didn't get a hit.
The Mets managed to stay in the game with a strong start from David Peterson and some Houdini-like work from Huascar Brazobán, as the right-hander didn't allow a run in the seventh despite walking three batters.
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But with the offense unable to get much going against Max Fried and the Yankee bullpen, they were unable to overcome the two errors, the second of which helped the Bombers break the game open in a six-run eighth.
3 Huascar Brazobán #43 of the New York Mets lands on Pete Alonso #20 of the New York Mets legs as Cody Bellinger #35 of the New York Yankees reaches on an infield single in the seventh inning at Yankee Stadium, Sunday, May 18, 2025.
Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
The errors led to a combined four unearned runs.
For Alonso, it was a mistake in a season in which he has rediscovered his swing and drawn good reviews for his ability to dig throws out of the dirt, but his throwing remains an issue.
And the one on Sunday night was noncompetitive and particularly costly.