Francisco Lindor’s go-ahead home run sealed a playoff spot for the New York Mets, adding to an already thrilling game against the Atlanta Braves.
The homer was so monumental that longtime Mets broadcaster Howie Rose called it one of the greatest in franchise history. However, just 72 hours later, with the Mets down by two, Pete Alonso delivered another go-ahead home run in Game 3 of the wild-card series, stealing the spotlight.
Alonso became the first player in MLB’s history to hit a go-ahead home run while trailing in the ninth inning or later in a winner-take-all game.
“It’s kind of funny because after Lindor hit his home run and they beat the Braves last Monday to secure a spot in the wild-card series, a couple of people asked me that (if it was the best home run in Mets history) and I chewed on it a little bit, and said, ‘You could make a case, but that was the biggest — certainly regular-season home run hit in the history of the Mets,” Rose said on Foul Territory.
As far as the Alonso homer …
“You could make the case that’s one of, if not the biggest, home runs they’ve ever hit,” Rose added.
Rose didn’t say that lightly, as he’s been calling Mets games since 1995.
“I would look at Lenny Dykstra’s home run to win Game 3 of the National League Championship Series against Houston in 1986, but this one — they were three outs away from winter when they came to bat in the ninth inning,” Rose said. “They had been completely shut down for eight innings, and out of seemingly nowhere, they deliver another chapter in what’s been kind of a storybook season.”
About Jessica Kleinschmidt
Jess is a baseball fan with Reno, Nev. roots residing in the Bay Area. She is the host of "Short and to the Point" and is also a broadcaster with the Oakland A's Radio Network. She previously worked for MLB.com and NBC Sports Bay Area.