Renowned author Charles Dickens might not have known it when he wrote that iconic opening line of A Tale of Two Cities, but he was actually perfectly summing up what happened to New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso and his glove during Monday night's 3-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

The New York Mets were one good throw away from potentially sending their Sunday night game against the New York Yankees to the top of the ninth inning tied. Instead, first baseman Pete Alonso air-mailed an attempted play at home plate,

The New York Mets have dropped consecutive games and have slipped a half-game behind the Philadelphia Phillies for the top spot in the NL East. For Pete Alonso—a cornerstone of the Mets franchise and one of the game’s most feared sluggers—the last two nights have been a sobering reminder that even stars stumble.