Marlins at Mets
New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso has tormented the Miami Marlins during his rookie season, belting eight of his majors-best 51 homers against the cellar-dwelling club. The 24-year-old Florida native can tie New York Yankees star Aaron Judge's single-season rookie record with one more homer on Thursday as the Mets and Marlins play the finale of their four-game series at Citi Field.
Alonso crushed a three-run blast in the second inning of New York's 10-3 romp on Wednesday to mark the first time that he's gone deep since belting a homer in three straight games from Sept. 17-20. The lopsided result enabled the Mets to move a season-best eight games over .500, but that provided little solace as they were eliminated from postseason contention after Milwaukee breezed to a 9-2 victory over Cincinnati earlier in the night. Miami's Jorge Alfaro went deep for the third time in the series with a two-run shot in the ninth inning, giving him eight RBIs in his last three games after mustering just one in his previous seven. The 26-year-old is 0-for-6 with three strikeouts against Thursday starter Zack Wheeler, who could be making his last start in a Mets uniform before hitting free agency in the offseason.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS Florida (Miami), SNY (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Jordan Yamamoto (4-5, 4.83 ERA) vs. Mets RH Zack Wheeler (11-7, 3.99)
Yamamoto saw his winless string extend to eight games on Saturday after allowing two runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings of a no-decision against Washington. The 23-year-old has been rather generous during his 0-5 run, surrendering two homers on four occasions -- including in a 7-2 setback at Citi Field on Aug. 7. Michael Conforto and Alonso provided the honors on that night versus Yamamoto, who has limited the opposition to a .162 batting average in six starts on the road this season.
Wheeler allowed one earned run for the fifth straight outing in Saturday's game at Cincinnati and even drove in a run at the plate before walking away with his third no-decision in that stretch. The 29-year-old has manhandled Miami in 13 career encounters, winning both starts this season to improve to 7-2 with a 1.77 ERA. Martin Prado (6-for-19) and Miguel Rojas (4-for-13, two homers) have enjoyed success versus Wheeler.
WALK-OFFS
1. Conforto has recorded back-to-back three-hit performances to improve to 8-for-13 with three homers, eight RBIs and five runs scored in his last four games.
2. Miami 1B Neil Walker is 3-for-6 with three runs scored in the series after totaling just four hits in his previous 10 contests.
3. New York SS Amed Rosario is riding a six-game hitting streak and has multiple hits in three of his last eight contests.