Mets hand White Sox team record-tying 106th loss

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.

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.

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.

Winker had three hits for the second straight game and two RBIs. Alonso added a single and scored twice.

Andrew Benintendi had two hits for Chicago, and Gavin Sheets, Miguel Vargas and Corey Julks drove in runs.

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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 labored at times, walking three and striking out six, before reaching 98 pitches and being relieved by Huascar Brazobán in the sixth.

Brobazán, Ryne Stanek, Phil Maton and José Buttó combined for four innings of one-run relief.

Buttó yielded a double by Vargas and singles by Jacob Amaya and Luis Robert Jr. while giving up a run in a shaky ninth. With two runners aboard, the right-hander retired Benintendi on a comebacker for his third save.

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. Manager Carlos Mendoza said an extra position player will be determined after Saturday’s game.

RHP Jairo Iriarte and OF Zach DeLoach joined the White Sox as taxi squad players Saturday, signaling they could be added to the roster Sunday.