Pete Alonso's playoff pumpkin spices up string of good-luck charms for Mets ahead of NLDS

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Pete Alonso and the Mets are taking a playoff pumpkin with them on their playoff run back to the Big Apple.

These Cinderella Mets -- who appropriately use orange in their color scheme -- hope their carriage ride through the postseason won’t turn into a pumpkin at midnight any time soon as they chase their first World Series championship since 1986.

Maybe it helps that Alonso already snagged a lucky squash at a Wisconsin pumpkin patch.

Alonso used a dose of pumpkin power to hit a three-run homer off closer Devin Williams in the ninth inning to put the Mets up for good in a 4-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday in the decisive third game of their NL Wild Card Series.

Alonso and the Mets advanced to a best-of-five Division Series beginning Saturday in Philadelphia against the NL East champion Phillies.

As Alonso spoke to reporters during the champagne-soaked celebration in the Mets’ locker room, he was handed a small pumpkin. Alonso called it his “playoff pumpkin” and explained that he and his wife had found it while visiting a farm outside Milwaukee when the Mets were playing here last weekend.

“Nothing’s more fall than playoff baseball and pumpkins,” Alonso said.

Alonso plopped the pint-sized pumpkin on a clubhouse table next to cans of beer while he uncorked bubbly in a wild celebration.

Who knows, when the Mets retired Darryl Strawberry’s No. 18 this season, the famed Home Run Apple at Citi Field was redecorated to look like a strawberry. Maybe when the Mets return home next week for Games 3 and 4, a playoff pumpkin will rise beyond center field.

The playoff pumpkin spiced up a string of good-luck charms this season. The Mets have latched on to an "OMG" sign they raise in the dugout after big hits like Alonso’s homer. New York Mets infielder Jose Iglesias sang his song “OMG” following a June win in front of 32,465 fans at Citi Field. The song reached No. 1 on Billboard's Latin Digital Song Sales chart in July.

Some true believers insist the Mets’ turnaround began when McDonald’s character Grimace threw out a first pitch in June. After Grimace’s first pitch, the Mets won seven straight games to start their surge in the NL East standings. Haliey Welch, better known as Hawk Tuah Girl, has became a Mets fan after she threw out a first pitch and posted a video of herself rooting on the Mets in the clincher. Welch threw a first pitch at a Mets game in August and later celebrated the Mets making “ Hawktober!”

It’s all part of a fun fall spirit the Mets hope stretches into the Fall Classic.

“That’s who we are as an organization, and that’s who we are as a team,” Alonso said Thursday night. “That’s our identity. We have everyone’s back and fully supportive, and everybody’s in it together. It’s a really special group. How far we’ve come this year from earlier this year, not a lot of people thought we’d be at this spot right now. So it’s just really special to move on, to move on the way we have.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Mets' Pete Alonso celebrates his three-run home run with Luisangel Acuña during the ninth inning of Game 3 of a National League wild card baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

New York Mets' Pete Alonso reacts after hitting a three-run home run during the ninth inning of Game 3 of a National League wild card baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

New York Mets' J.D. Martinez and Pete Alonso celebrate after winning Game 3 of a National League wild card baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Milwaukee. The Mets won 4-2. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

New York Mets' Pete Alonso celebrates with teammates after winning Game 3 of a National League wild card baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Milwaukee. The Mets won 4-2. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

The New York Mets celebrate after winning Game 3 of a National League wild card baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Milwaukee. The Mets won 4-2. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

MILAN (AP) — Paulo Fonseca has been fired by AC Milan, with the club confirming the decision Monday morning after the Portuguese coach was informed of its decision following a 1-1 draw at home to Roma the previous night.

“Yes, it’s true. I’m out,” Fonseca told reporters when he lowered his car window as he left San Siro following Sunday's match. “That’s life. … I did everything I could.”

Milan is expected to hire Sergio Conceicao, another Portuguese coach, as Fonseca’s replacement. The Serie A club released a short statement confirming Fonseca's dismissal.

“AC Milan announces that Paulo Fonseca has been relieved from his duties as head coach of the men’s first team,” it said. “The club extends its gratitude to Paulo for his great professionalism and wishes him the very best in his future endeavours.”

Fonseca was hired in June and produced only 12 wins in 24 matches across all competitions.

Milan is eighth in Serie A, trailing leaders Atalanta and Napoli by 14 points — far worse than the second place result earned under Stefano Pioli last season.

Milan has fared better in the Champions League lately following four straight wins, including a 3-1 result at Real Madrid. The Rossoneri are in 12th place and on course to qualify for the knockout playoff round.

Conceicao, who played in Serie A with Lazio, Parma and Inter Milan, coached Porto for six seasons before stepping down in June.

Milan next plays against Juventus in the Italian Super Cup semifinals in Saudi Arabia on Friday.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

AC Milan's head coach Paulo Fonseca reacts after receiving red cart during the Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Roma at the San Siro stadium, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)