EditorsNote: Corrects to Zack in seventh graf; minor changes in fourth, eighth, ninth grafs
Pete Alonso hit his 40th home run of the season, establishing a National League record for rookies, as the New York Mets defeated the Kansas City Royals 11-5 on Sunday in Kansas City.
Alonso's ninth-inning blast cleared the Mets bullpen in left.
Trailing 4-3, the Mets scored six runs off the Kansas City bullpen in the seventh inning to seize the game.
Kevin McCarthy (2-2) relieved Royals starter Glenn Sparkman to start the inning. McCarthy gave up a double to Todd Frazier, who scored the tying run on a single by pinch hitter J.D. Davis. Tomas Nido doubled to right, sending Davis to third. Amed Rosario then knocked in both runners with a single up the middle.
Richard Lovelady relieved McCarthy. He faced four batters and gave up hits to Joe Panik, Alonso, Michael Conforto and Wilson Ramos, with the last three accounting for RBIs. Josh Staumont relieved Lovelady and put out the fire.
Jeurys Familia (4-1) picked up the win after a scoreless sixth before the Mets rally.
Neither Sparkman nor Mets starter Zack Wheeler factored in the decision. Sparkman allowed three runs on five hits through six innings. Royals starting pitchers had thrown six straight quality starts, but that streak was on the line early. Conforto hit a three-run home run off Sparkman with one out in the first.
Wheeler gave up four runs (three earned) on four hits through five innings.
He was almost untouchable in the first three innings, allowing only a two-out walk in the first. The Royals scored a run in the fourth after Hunter Dozier stroked a one-out double to left. He moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a groundout by Ryan O'Hearn.
The Royals took the lead in the fifth. They loaded the bases with no outs. Whit Merrifield, Nicky Lopez and Dozier drove in the runs. Lopez also had an RBI single in the seventh.
Rosario, who has 14 hits in his last five games, doubled home Nido in the eighth for his third hit and the Mets' 10th run.
--Field Level Media
