This one won’t go down in Mets history like his first home run of the postseason.

But when Pete Alonso returned to Citi Field as a hero — for the fly ball that could’ve easily fallen short in Milwaukee last week as out No. 26, instead of carrying and carrying until it revived the Mets’ playoff dreams — on Tuesday night, he found a way to meet the moment again. 

A long, drawn-out “Pete” greeted him during pregame warm-ups.

It followed Alonso — a free agent whenever this playoff run ends — to the plate at the start of the second, too.

And then Alonso launched the first pitch he saw over the right-field fence, prompting an ovation and “Pete Alonso” chants that continued the rest of the night in the Mets’ 7-2 win over the Phillies in Game 3 of the NLDS. 

“He’s already changed games with one swing,” designated hitter Jesse Winker said. “He did it again tonight.” 

Before the game, Alonso, who finished 1-for-2 with two walks and his third homer of the playoffs, didn’t know what to expect from the crowd, even though the answer — given the context of his looming free agency, the standing ovation he received at Citi Field just over two weeks ago, the ripple effects of that ninth-inning homer in Game 3 of the NL Wild Card Series against the Brewers — seemed quite obvious. 

The threat of Alonso’s final at-bat with the Mets will loom throughout their postseason run.

His most recent home game before Tuesday, back on Sept. 22, doubled as a potential farewell, too.

Alonso hasn’t hinted about what the future might hold.

And in a year filled with rough patches, he delivered the signature moment of his career after leaving Citi Field for potentially the final time. 

Manager Carlos Mendoza said what Alonso wouldn’t: He predicted it was “going to be electric.” It would be loud. It would reflect the unexpected trek through Atlanta, through Milwaukee, back through Atlanta and then back through Milwaukee that filled the 16 days in between stops at Citi Field.

That’s exactly what happened after Alonso’s sixth career homer off Aaron Nola, which also moved him into third place in Mets history with four career postseason homers. 

“If I’m hitting balls the other way, it’s typically a good sign,” Alonso said. 

Alonso finished the regular season with 34 homers and 88 RBIs, but his slugging percentage and OPS were the lowest of his career.

By most statistical measures, it was an underwhelming walk year.

He has flipped the trajectory of it once the playoffs — the month-long sprint in October that can make significantly larger sample sizes obsolete — arrived, though. 

And for one night, Alonso basked in the spotlight he helped create. 

“He can carry a team,” Mendoza said postgame. “He can carry us. And we’re here because of that big swing he got in Milwaukee.”