Mets' Pete Alonso ties Aaron Judge's rookie record with 52nd homer – ESPN, Espn.com

NEW YORK – Mets sluggerPete Alonsohit his 52 nd homer of the season, tying Yankees starAaron Judge‘ s total from 2017 for most by a rookie.

Alonso lined an 0-1 fastball from Atlanta left-handerDallas Keuchelnarrowly over the wall in left field in the first inning Friday night. He hurried around the bases after the solo homer, did handshakes with teammates outside the dugout and took a curtain call on the top step to big cheers from the crowd at Citi Field.

Alonso drew a walk in the third, popped out in the fourth and struck out swinging in the sixth to finish 1-for-3. The Mets won 4-2 and have two games remaining in the regular season.

Alonso’s 52 nd homer came in his 587 th at-bat this season; Judge achieved his total in 541 at-bats in 2017.

Alonso has already set franchise records for homers, total bases (343) and extra-base hits (84). His 52 homers are 11 more than any other Mets hitter has had in a season; Carlos Beltran and Todd Hundley each had a 41 – homer season.

Alonso also has 119 RBIs and 100 runs, becoming the first Mets rookie to reach triple digits in both categories. No Mets player had reached those totals in any season since David Wright and Beltran in 2008. The 119 RBIs put Alonso just five away from matching Wright’s all-time single-season franchise record.

Alonso’s 52 nd homer also tied him with for second-most all time in a player’s first season with a team. Alex Rodriguez hit 52 in 2001, his first season with the Texas Rangers. Babe Ruth holds the record with 54 homers for the Yankees in 1920, after he was traded from theBoston Red Sox.

New York trailed the National League East-champion Braves 2-1 after Alonso’s homer .

In a record season for home runs in the majors, Alonso’s long ball feat wasn’t the only one achieved Tuesday night. The Yankees got in on the fun when they became the second team in MLB history with 300 homers in a season. They joined theMinnesota Twins, who reached the mark on Thursday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.