DENVER — Pete Alonso hit his major league-leading 49th homer, then drew a bases-loaded walk during a four-run rally in the ninth inning that sent the Mets over the Colorado Rockies, 7-4, on Wednesday at Coors Field.
The Mets ended the day tied with Philadelphia, three games behind the Chicago Cubs and the Milwaukee Brewers for the second wild-card spot in the National League.
Alonso hit a long solo home run to left field in the sixth, matching Mark McGwire’s total for his rookie season with Oakland in 1987. The Yankees’ Aaron Judge has the major league record for home runs by a rookie, at 52.
Jeff McNeil also went deep for the Mets, who set a franchise record with 225 home runs this season.
Trailing by 4-3 going into the ninth, the Mets tied the score on Brandon Nimmo’s third hit, a run-scoring single off Jairo Diaz. After a walk to McNeil loaded the bases, Joe Harvey relieved and walked Alonso on four pitches to put the Mets ahead.
“They don’t want to have to groove a fastball to him when they fall behind,” Mets Manager Mickey Callaway said. “He puts the fear in guys, and he should because he’s a great hitter. That allows him to be a little more patient.”
Another run scored on a double-play grounder and Seth Lugo, who was the winning pitcher, hit a run-scoring single in his first plate appearance of the season.
“I just didn’t want to look dumb,” Lugo said. “I was staying short and see what happens.”
The rookie Sam Hilliard hit two home runs for the Rockies, connecting both times off Noah Syndergaard. Hilliard’s first homer went an estimated 447 feet to right-center and his second drive gave the Rockies a 2-1 lead. Hilliard was called up on Aug. 27 and homered in his debut that night.
Syndergaard went five and two-thirds innings, giving up four runs on 10 hits and striking out six. Rene Rivera started at catcher — Syndergaard recently expressed his interest in pitching to someone other than the regular starter Wilson Ramos.
Ramos pinch-hit for Rivera and drew a leadoff walk in the ninth to begin the Mets’ rally.
McNeil hit his 22nd homer, tagging Jeff Hoffman in the first inning. Hoffman allowed two runs on five hits in five and a third innings.
INSIDE PITCH
The right-hander Robert Gsellman (right triceps tightness) will throw off the mound again, Manager Mickey Callaway said. Gsellman was scheduled to play catch Wednesday. … Jacob deGrom (9-8, 2.61 E.R.A.) will open a three-game series at Cincinnati on Friday night. He is 2-1 with a 1.74 E.R.A. in five career starts against the Reds.