FINALLY! The Mets put a full stop to their 8-game skid. Not Juan Soto, not even Francisco Lindor, but it was veteran slugger Pete Alonso who not only ended his HR drought with a walk-off home run but also helped the Mets win for the first time in the last ten days. After the 389-feet big fly win, the roar of the crowd at the field felt like a reset button for a club that had been looking for answers all week. Reacting to the long-awaited win, skipper Carlos Mendoza made sure to put the ‘Polar Beer’ in the spotlight.

After the win, when asked about his impact, Mendoza was all praise for Alonso, who inked a $54 million, 2-year contract earlier this year. “His ability to stay locked in, his ability to slow the game down and don’t get too big, he’s powerful, all he’s gotta do is touch it pretty much and the ball is gonna go. And we’ve seen it with the way he drives the ball the other way, and he did it again today…And that was pretty impressive,” Mendoza said. “He’s an elite hitter and a clutch hitter. When you look up at his numbers, he’s special.” Talking about the game, Mendoza was not wrong when he called Alonso an ‘elite hitter.’

Polar Bear stepped into the box with the game at 2-2 in the 10th against Jose Leclerc, a reliever for the Rangers. What happened next was classic Alonso: a swing that sent the ball soaring into the left-field seats, bringing home three runs and ending the Mets’ losing streak in style. This was his 35th home run of the season, and perhaps the most timely one yet.

“Oh sick! Every walk-off homer is sick, so there’s no way to rank that one,” Alonso described the winning moment. The veteran slugger also set a franchise record by hitting the fifth walk-off homer, snapping a tie with Wilmer Flores, Chris Jones, Cleon Jones, Kevin McReynolds, and Mike Piazza for the most game-ending moonshots in Mets history. “Awesome, a phenomenal feeling. Of course, there’s a lot of meaning to that one, for where we are as a team,” the 30-year-old added.

For now, Alonso is focused on the playoffs. And while his homer indeed was a show stealer at Citi Field, the win showed a complete team effort from pitching to offense.

Pitching, power, and a walk-off: Mets’ magic in the wild-card mix

Pete Alonso’s homer was indeed an impactful but in the win, he wasn’t the only one who put on a show. The Mets clearly bounced back in all areas. Rookie Nolan McLean pitched six scoreless innings, giving up five hits, striking out seven, walking two, and keeping the Rangers from hitting while he was on the mound.

And the bullpen kept things steady, too. Ryne Stanek, Edwin Diaz, and others held down the Rangers in the late innings to keep the game tied and create a great setup that led to Alonso’s heroics.

Beyond Alonso’s hit, the other hitters also contributed throughout the game. The first run came from Alvarez’s bat when he hit a double and sprinted hard around the bases. Then, Brandon Nimmo hit a single home run in the sixth inning. After Nimmo, Lindor’s defense, specifically his 6-4-3 double play that ended a rally in the ninth, also kept the momentum going in the NYM’s favour.

The win was important not only for morale but also for the team’s standing in the playoffs. They now have a record of 77-73 and kept the third Wild Card spot in the NL. They are ahead of the Cincinnati Reds by 2 1/2 games, the D-Backs by two games, and the Giants by 1 1/2 games. From here onwards, every win is a must for the wild-card spot.

This game sent a clear message: steady pitching, key hits, and Alonso’s performance led to a significant win. The next games will be challenging, but this win was crucial for regaining momentum as October looms closer.