Pete Alonso hits 19th homer of the season, Mets score 10 runs in rout against Cubs – The Denver Post

CHICAGO — Pete Alonso hit his 19th homer of the season Thursday night at Wrigley Field to keep up his 60 homer pace, but the Mets had won the game long before that.

The losing streak would not extend this time around as the club salvaged a three-game streak by beating the Chicago Cubs, 10-1.

The Mets (26-25) hit the Chicago bullpen hard. They spoiled Kyle Hendricks’ season debut and got a solid performance from Carlos Carrasco.

The right-handed veteran needed a performance like this as bad as the Mets. The right-hander was hit hard at the start of the season and bone spurs in his elbow put him on the injured list. His first outing after leaving IL against his former team Cleveland left many wondering whether or not the Mets could keep him in the rotation.

But the pitcher they call Cookie held the Cubs (22-27) to a single run in 6 and 2/3 innings, marking his longest outing of the season. Carrasco allowed just five hits, walked two and struck out four.

The only run allowed was a solo home run from Dansby Swanson in the first inning, but Brandon Nimmo led the bottom frame with a home run of his own to tie the score. Carrasco went from there, only running into trouble in the third when two singles and a walk charged the bases with two outs. But he got out of trouble by causing a groundout.

He retired the team in order in the fifth and sixth innings and returned for the seventh for the first time this season. Adam Ottavino replaced him with two outs and one on and Carrasco came off the field with his first win of the season (1-2) secured with the Mets up 7-1.

Hendricks (0-1), a former Cubs personnel ace, made his 2023 season debut on Thursday, marking a return to action since being sidelined last summer due to a shoulder strain. The Mets condemned it with a two-out trade in the third inning, scoring three to go 4-1. They scored again in the fifth as southpaw Brandon Hughes failed to stop the legacy runners from scoring. A double steal was executed by Jeff McNeil and Alonso and an error by receiver Yan Gomes was made trying to put McNeil in third.

Chicago’s defense didn’t do Hendricks much favor and only three of the five points were earned. It only lasted 4 1/3 innings. Hughes minimized the damage, but the Mets maximized it against right-hander Michael Rucker.

Alonso’s two-run homer came on the first pitch Rucker threw it in the seventh inning to make it 7-1. A two-run triple from Nimmo in the eighth made it 9-1 and Francisco Lindor sent it home with a single to cap the score.

Nimmo went 2 for 6 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs. McNeil went 3 for 4 with three runs, a walk and a steal. Alonso went 2 for 2 with two runs, two RBIs and two walks. Francisco Alvarez had his second two-hit game in as many nights (2-for-4).

Mark Canha was the only player on the Mets roster not to make it to base.

It was a big night for the visitors, but perhaps an even bigger night for Carrasco.

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