NEW YORK (AP) — Pete Alonso homered in consecutive at-bats and tied a career high with six RBIs as the New York Mets withstood a long rain delay and snapped a six-game losing streak with an 11-2 rout of the Chicago Cubs on Monday night.
In their first home game since trading Justin Verlander, Mark Canha and Tommy Pham at last week’s deadline, the Mets (51-61) avoided matching their longest skid this season. New York dropped seven straight June 2-9 when it fell under .500.
Alonso connected in the first and third innings against Drew Smyly (8-8). It was his fourth multi-homer game this year and third since the All-Star break. The first baseman also got his 18th career multi-homer game to move into sole possession of third on New York’s career list behind Darryl Strawberry (22) and former captain David Wright (21).
Alonso’s first homer carried over the left-center wall for a three-run shot that gave the Mets a 3-0 lead in the first. His two-run shot to center made it 5-1.
Those were Alonso’s third and fourth homers in 14 career at-bats against Smyly, and the slugger has 13 homers in 25 games against Chicago.
Kodai Senga (8-6) allowed two runs and seven hits in six innings for his first win since July 5 and first home win since May 30 against Philadelphia. Senga had been 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA since beating Arizona, and the Mets scored at least five runs in one of his starts for the first time since an 8-3 win at Pittsburgh on June 10.
Senga came out to start the seventh in heavy rain but was pulled before throwing a pitch because of a wet mound. The game was delayed several minutes as Senga threw warmups, slipped throwing a pitch and manager Buck Showalter came out twice.
After Showalter’s second trip, Senga was pulled and the grounds crew quickly put the tarp on the field.
Following a rain delay of 2 hours, 9 minutes, Danny Mendick hit a three-run homer in the seventh and Alonso hit an RBI single in the eighth on a 44 mph pitch from catcher Tucker Barnhart. It was the second time Alonso drove in six.
Before the delay, the Mets scored twice in the sixth on a bases-loaded walk by Jonathan Araúz and a double-play grounder by Brandon Nimmo that scored Jeff McNeil.
Cody Bellinger hit a pair of RBI singles for the playoff-contending Cubs, who lost for only the fifth time in 20 games.
Smyly tied a season high by allowing seven runs. He gave up eight hits in five-plus innings for his first career loss against the Mets. The left-hander had been 4-0 with a 2.17 ERA in seven previous appearances versus New York.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cubs: Marcus Stroman (right hip inflammation) will throw a bullpen Tuesday and manager David Ross is optimistic the right-hander can return from the injured list when eligible. … RHP Brad Boxberger (strained right forearm) will face hitters Tuesday at the team’s complex in Arizona.
Mets: OF Starling Marte was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right groin strain. … Slumping 3B Brett Baty was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse.
UP NEXT
Cubs RHP Jameson Taillon (6-6, 5.36 ERA) opposes Mets RHP Carlos Carrasco (3-6, 6.60) on Tuesday night. Taillon is 4-0 with a 2.08 ERA over his last five starts.
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