Alonso reaches baseball immortality

Pete Alonso, the Orioles veteran, joined an exclusive club by hitting his 300th career home run at Citi Field in New York on Tuesday night.

Rookie gets his first win

Alex Hoppe, a 27-year-old right-hander acquired from the Mariners last month, earned his first career victory in that same game.

Two milestones, one celebration

In the visiting clubhouse, both Alonso and Hoppe were thrown into laundry carts and doused with beer, sharing one of Baltimore's biggest celebrations of the year.

“Baseball is a beautiful game sometimes.”

Alonso puts team first

Before the celebration, Alonso gave a postgame speech emphasizing the team's comeback rather than his personal milestone, showing his character as a teammate.

“As easy as it can be to get wrapped up in a milestone like that, he talked to us postgame and said it was nothing about him.”

Manager sees beauty in both moments

Craig Albernaz noted that baseball's greatness lies in celebrating both historic achievements and individual accomplishments, no matter the career stage.

“You can have someone hit their 300th home run and also a reliever getting his first win as a rookie, and they're both getting beer showers.”

Hoppe's quiet personality fits the moment

The 27-year-old reliever is a quiet, diligent worker who doesn't question the team's weird traditions, making him an unlikely but perfect fit for this unforgettable night.

A memory for a lifetime

Hoppe will receive a baseball from the game and carry the memory of celebrating alongside Alonso's 300th home run for the rest of his life.

“I think he can kind of hold that close to him for the rest of his life.”

Team character shines through

Hoppe credits the Orioles' character and team unity for remembering to celebrate his accomplishment equally, showing how the group roots for each other.

“It speaks to the character and the group of guys we have in here.”