CHICAGO — Pete Alonso and Jesse Winker hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning and the New York Mets beat the skidding White Sox 5-3 on Saturday night, handing Chicago its 106th loss to tie a franchise record.
The Mets (72-64) won their third straight and moved within two games of Atlanta for the final NL wild card. New York has won eight of 12 to climb eight games over .500 for the first time this season.
“We’re in a good spot and we will continue to bring it every day, again, one day at a time, one series at a time,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said.
The White Sox (31-106) dropped their ninth straight to match their mark for most defeats in a season set in 1970. Chicago is 4-35 since the All-Star break and on track to break the modern major league record for most losses — 120 by the expansion 1962 Mets.
“A lot of things have been going against us,” White Sox interim manager Grady Sizemore said. “We need that break just to kind of help the morale in that clubhouse.”
Alonso’s two-run drive off Davis Martin was his 30th homer, giving him 30 or more in five of his six major league seasons, all with the Mets. The four-time All-Star finished with 16 in 57 games during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
The 29-year-old Alonso is third on the Mets career list with 222 homers and has gone deep three times in the last five games. He added a single and scored twice in this one.
Winker has enjoyed joining Alonso in New York’s lineup since coming over from Washington in late July.
“Electric. What a hitter,” Winker said. “So much power. It’s been really fun.”
Winker had three hits for the second straight game and two RBIs. He has eight hits in his last 11 at-bats after going 3-for-3 on Saturday.
“I’m just trying to get the barrel on the ball and keep things simple and just hit it hard somewhere,” Winker said. “It’s the best time of the year. Definitely excited and I like our chances a lot.”
Andrew Benintendi had two hits for Chicago, and Gavin Sheets, Miguel Vargas and Corey Julks drove in runs.
Mets starter Jose Quintana (7-9) allowed two runs — one earned — and six hits through five innings to win for the first time since July 29. The left-hander laboured at times, walking three and striking out six, before reaching 98 pitches and being relieved by Huascar Brazobán in the sixth.
“He had to battle today, but he found a way to give us five,” Mendoza said.
Brobazán, Ryne Stanek and Phil Maton combined for three hitless innings out of the Mets’ bullpen. José Buttó worked a shaky ninth in place of closer Edwin Díaz, who was rested after pitching the previous three days.
Buttó yielded a double by Vargas and singles by Jacob Amaya and Luis Robert Jr. while giving up a run. With two runners aboard, the right-hander retired Benintendi on a comebacker for his third save.
”They are not quitting. They are not folding,” Sizemore said about his team. “But it would be nice to have some of those balls fall, to get some bleeders or something.”
Martin (0-3) yielded four runs and five hits in five innings, striking out six and walking one.
Alonso drove the first pitch he saw from Martin, a high slider, to the left-center bleachers for a quick 2-0 lead. Winker followed with his 13th homer, to right-center, as the Mets went back-to-back for the fifth time this season.
The White Sox cut it to 3-1 in the second on Vargas’ RBI groundout.
Winker singled home a run in the third to make it 4-1. Sheets’ RBI single trimmed it to 4-2 in the bottom half.
Starling Marte singled in a run off Gus Varland in the New York sixth. Julks’ groundout drove in a run in the ninth.
ADDITIONS
The Mets will add LHP Alex Young when MLB rosters expand to 28 players on Sunday. Mendoza said the team was still working on determining an extra position player.
RHP Jairo Iriarte and OF Zach DeLoach joined the White Sox as taxi squad players Saturday, signalling they could be added to the roster Sunday.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: RHP Paul Blackburn (right-hand bruise) is scheduled to make a rehab start with Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday.
UP NEXT
Mets LHP Sean Manaea (10-5, 3.51 ERA) will seek his fourth straight win when he faces White Sox LHP Garrett Crochet (6-9, 3.64) on Sunday.