Pete Alonso electrifies the Mets crowd with the NLDS home run in Game 3

And in a year filled with rough patches, Alonso delivered the defining moment of his career when a fly ball flew long enough to give the Mets the lead in Game 3 of their NL wild-card series after potentially leaving Citi Field for the final time .

So Alonso returned as a Mets hero, adding a home run in the second inning that turned the drawn-out chants of “Pete” into standing ovations and chants of “Pete Alonso.”

The threat of a final slugfest between Alonso and the organization will loom throughout the Mets' postseason — and could rise to prominence again later this week.

But for one night, he basked in the spotlight that his wild card explosion had created in the first place.

“Honestly, I have no idea, but I’m just really excited to keep going,” Alonso told the Post before the game about the personal reaction he expected from the crowd. “We have a great vibe, great momentum, and I mean that's all we need to focus on. Pitch by pitch, out by out, I’m focused on the game, but I’m really excited to see the crowd.”

Manager Carlos Mendoza said before the game what his star first baseman didn't want: He predicted that the reaction to Alonso — and to everyone on the Mets, for that matter — would be “electric.”

It would be loud. It would reflect the unexpected sprint through Atlanta, through Milwaukee, back through Atlanta and then back through Milwaukee that filled the 16 days between stops at Citi Field.

Alonso was at the center of this run. He still finished the regular season with 34 home runs and 88 RBIs, but his slugging percentage and OPS were the lowest of his career. His strikeout percentage was the highest.

But as the playoffs began, Alonso turned around his disappointing run all year, walking three times in Game 1 against the Brewers, crushing a home run in Game 3 and then hitting in each of the first two games against the Phillies.

He then hit Aaron Nola with a home run to give the Mets an early lead on Tuesday.

“I just want him to go out there and be himself, embrace the moment and embrace the situation and just be Pete Alonso,” Mendoza said before the game.

However, the overall numbers were still disappointing compared to Alonso's previous years.

But on an evening that – this time – doubled as a celebration, delaying any further early goodbyes by 24 hours, that didn't matter.