NEW YORK _ History made.
Pete Alonso stands alone as the rookie with the most home runs in Major League Baseball history.
He crushed his 53rd homer of the season to straightaway center field in the third inning of the Mets' game against the Braves on Saturday night. Alonso passed Yankees slugger Aaron Judge to take sole possession of the MLB rookie home run record.
Alonso's majestic home run traveled 415 feet and cranked off his bat at an exit velocity of 105 mph. Braves right-hander Mike Foltynewicz left a 93-mph fastball over the heart of the plate for Alonso to demolish out of the park.
The Mets rookie took his time trotting around the bases as instrumental music blared from the Citi Field speakers. The crowd, there to see Alonso, got on its feet for the 24-year-old's record-breaking homer. Some fans praised the first baseman by bowing their heads and swinging their arms up and down, up and down.
A majority of Alonso's teammates walked out of the dugout and onto the field to congratulate him with hugs and high fives. Before Alonso even retreated into the dugout, he raised both his arms in the air and smiled at the crowd, as if to embrace his loyal Mets fans.
Alonso was, unsuccessfully, holding back tears as he took first base for the top of the fourth inning.
If he can maintain his lead over Reds infielder Eugenio Suarez (49), Alonso would become the first rookie in baseball's modern era to become the Majors' outright leader in home runs.
