Dispute ensues after Max Fried’s strikeout of Pete Alonso in 3rd inning

New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was not happy after first baseman Pete Alonso was called out on strikes against New York Yankees southpaw Max Fried. The out happened in the third inning of Sunday's Subway Series finale at Yankee Stadium.

With the count full, Fried threw a high rising fastball which might or might not have touched Alonso's bat before popping out of catcher Austin Wells' glove. However, the home plate umpire called it a strikeout as the catcher threw the ball to first base to complete the out.

This riled up Mendoza, who came out of the dugout arguing the call. Even Alonso couldn't believe it as he thought it was a foul ball.

Here's the video:

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The Yankees started the game with a two-run double from Cody Bellinger. Jeff McNeil hit an RBI single in the second and reached home plate on Fried's wild pitch to tie the game 2-2 in the fifth.

Pete Alonso's defensive mishap proved too costly in Subway Series finale

Pete Alonso's costly eighth-inning error helped decide the supercharged Subway Series over the weekend.

On a ball Jorbit Vivas hit straight to him, Alonso darted a fast throw to the home plate in order to get Jasson Dominguez. However, the throw was well off, resulting not only in a run being scored, but also a missed opportunity to at least retire one.

Later, in that same inning, the Yankees scored five more runs, thanks to Cody Bellinger's grand slam.

"This one's 100% on me," Alonso said.

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After the game, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza shared his feelings on defensive mishaps.

“On and off. I feel like we've gone through stretches where it's been pretty sharp," Mendoza said. "But also, there's a few games where we're not finishing plays or we're not completing them. And even some of the routine plays.

“We saw today in the first inning, we can make a play there leading off an inning and before we know, we're down two. Yeah, this is something that we've got to get better at and we will because we've got good defenders there.”

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The Mets and the Yankees are both leading their respective divisions. With the win, the Yankees improved to 27-19, further bolstering their standing in the AL East.

Meanwhile, the Mets dropped to 29-18, further reducing their lead on the second-placed Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East.

About the author

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

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Edited by Brad Taningco