Pete Alonso apologizes for throwing first hit ball into stands: 'I feel like a piece of crap'
St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn got his first major league hit Friday night in his first MLB game, but he did not immediately get the ball as a memento.
That's because New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, who had corralled third baseman Jonathan Arauz's off-line throw, fired the ball deep into the stands along Busch Stadium's first base line.
Clearly, Alonso did not realize the infield single marked Winn's first MLB hit. Visibly distraught afterwards, Alonso said he felt "horrible" and "awful" about what he did.
"I know it sounds stupid but it's just a bad brain fart," Alonso said after the Mets' 7-1 win. "Throwing the ball in the stands, that robs him of a really special moment. I feel really bad thinking back on my first hit and just getting the ball thrown back to the dugout ... I feel awful. I feel like a piece of crap."
Alonso said he got lost in the heat of the moment after trying to make a play, after which the umpires wanted to switch the ball out. That's when he tossed the ball into the stands, which he said he always does in these scenarios, but added "I'll never throw the ball in the stands again. I'm just going to roll every ball to the dugout when they're going to switch it out."
FOLLOW THE MONEY: MLB player salaries and payrolls for every major league team
"That's a really bad mistake and it's completely unintentional," Alonso said. "I feel horrible about it. I feel really bad... It's stupid. It's a really bad look. I feel like an idiot and I feel terrible."
Thankfully for Winn, the Cardinals were able to get the ball back — per MLB.com's John Denton, the fan who returned the ball will be receiving an autographed ball, hat and jersey — and the 21-year-old rookie was able to have a laugh about the whole situation after the game.
Winn said Alonso "apologized on first and then when he got to second later he apologized as well." (Alonso said he apologized and that he was going to try and talk to Winn again and get him something as an apology.)
"A complete accident. I thought it was quite funny, especially after we got the ball back, I thought it was a little bit more funny," Winn said.