NEW YORK � The anticipation at Citi Field was for a Pete Alonso home run.
The big reaction was for a Michael Conforto homer.
Conforto broke a 2-all tie with his two-run shot (his 26th) in the sixth inning of the Mets' 9-2 win over Cleveland on Tuesday.
The right fielder picked up his sixth go-ahead RBI in the month of August. Entering the game, Conforto and Alonso were tied for the major-league lead in that category.
Alonso set the National League rookie record for home runs in a single season (40) Sunday in Kansas City. With a chance to tie the Mets' franchise record in the opener of a pivotal nine-game home stand, he finished 1-for-4 � but his two-run insurance double in the seventh still set off a raucous ovation.
With the Indians, Braves and Cubs bringing their own postseason aspirations to Queens in the upcoming week, New York (65-60) could not have asked for a better start to the stretch.
Lefty Steven Matz gave the Mets 6? innings, allowed one earned run and struck out seven (six looking). He improved to 8-7 overall and 6-0 at Citi Field.
The bullpen regrouped from news of Robert Gsellman's season-jeopardizing torn lat muscle to keep the Indians off the board. Left-hander Justin Wilson came through with a pair of strikeouts to end the top of the seventh and strand the tying runs on base.
