Alonso hits 16th homer, Mets rally past Nationals 6-5

NEW YORK (AP) — Pete Alonso hit a long tying home run in the eighth inning, Amed Rosario had a winning infield single with two outs in the ninth and the New York Mets rallied from deficits three times to beat the Washington Nationals 6-5 Tuesday night.

Washington led 1-0 in the fifth, 3-1 in the seventh and 5-4 in the eighth, but the Mets (22-25) kept bouncing back and won their second straight game after general manager Brodie Van Wagenen said Mickey Callaway will remain the team’s manager “for the foreseeable future.”

Alonso hit his 16th homer, breaking the Mets rookie record for long balls before the All-Star break set by Ron Swoboda in 1965. The drive on a 1-2 fastball from Tanner Rainey (0-1) rose 126 feet, went over the foul pole and bounced off the Porsche Grille restaurant. The home run call on the field was upheld by a video review.

Rainey walked Adeiny Hechavarria and J.D. Davis starting the ninth, Kyle Barraclough relieved and Jeff McNeil grounded into a forceout that left runners at the corners. McNeil advanced on defensive indifference and, with Robinson Canó on deck, Rosario hit a two-hopper grounder to shortstop and beat Trea Turner’s throw.

Edwin Díaz (1-2) worked around a ninth-inning single for his first win with the Mets. Washington lost its third straight.

Mets starter Zack Wheeler gave up three runs and four hits in seven innings, while Washington’s Erick Fedde allowed one run and four hits in five innings.

John Soto homered in the first, but McNeil tied the score with a fifth-inning single. Brian Dozier put the Nationals back ahead with a two-run homer in the seventh, but J.D. Davis’s three-run pinch homer off Wander Suero gave the Mets a 4-3 lead in the bottom half.

Turner hit a tying double in the eighth off Jeurys Familia and scored on Soto’s double against Daniel Zamora.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Nationals: RHP Jeremy Hellickson (strained right shoulder) was placed on the 10-day IL. Washington manager Dave Martinez does not think it will be a long stint. Hellickson saw a doctor Monday and was cleared to keep throwing. … RHP Aníbal Sánchez (strained left hamstring) had a bullpen session Tuesday and could throw a simulated game Friday.

Mets: OF Michael Conforto (concussion) rode a bike on Monday, his first physical activity since being placed on the 7-day concussion IL. Callaway said he did not know whether Conforto would be activated when first eligible on Friday. … CF Brandon Nimmo (sore neck) was a late scratch from the starting lineup. … LHP Jason Vargas (left hamstring tightness) will throw a bullpen session Wednesday and could pitch this weekend against Detroit.

UP NEXT

RHP Max Scherzer (2-5, 3.72 ERA), the 2016 and 2017 NL Cy Young Award winner starts for Washington and RHP Jacob deGrom (3-5, 3.98), the 2018 NL Cy Young winner starts for New York in a rematch of opening-day starters. The Mets won the opener 2-0 as deGrom struck out 10 and allowed six hits in six innings. Scherzer gave up two runs and two hits in 7 2/3 innings, striking out 12. Scherzer is 10-5 with a 2.59 ERA in 19 appearances (18 starts) against the Mets. DeGrom is 8-4 with a 2.50 ERA in 16 starts against Washington.