Jose Quintana pitching to Kyle Schwarber in the third inning. Photo by Jason Schott |
The Mets clinched the National League Division Series with a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4 on Wednesday evening at Citi Field.
Jose Quintana got the start for the Mets, the second time already this postseason he has taken the mound with the chance to send them to the next round, as he also started Game 3 of the Wild Card Series, in which he threw six shutout innings.
In this one, Quintana came out firing, as he struck out Kyle Schwarber, then got Trea Turner to hit a lazy fly ball to right field before striking out Bryce Harper to make it a 1-2-3 inning.
It would be another left-hander, Ranger Suarez, getting the start for the Phillies with their season on the line. Before the game, Phils Manager Rob Thomson said he would only use his ace, Zach Wheeler, in an “emergency.”
Suarez struck out Lindor to open it, then he gave up a double to Mark Vientos, walked Brandon Nimmo, and Pete Alonso beat out a grounder to third baseman Alec Bohm.
Jose Iglesias was up next with the bases loaded, and he struck out on a curveball, as was J.D. MartÃnez to end the frame, and the Mets missed a quick chance to take command.
The Mets went right back at it in the second, as Starling Marte walked and Tyrone Taylor singled. Suarez then struck out Francisco Alvarez and Lindor.
Then, for the second straight inning, there was a dribbler to Bohm that a Met beat out, only this time it was Vientos, to load the bases.
But, once again, Suarez wriggled out of it, as Nimmo grounded out to first. The Mets left six runners on in the first two frames.
Alonso led off the third with a walk, but Suarez got out of it far easier than the first two frames, as he struck out Iglesias and Martinez bounced into a double play.
The Phillies rallied in the fourth, as Harper drew a one-out walk followed by a ground rule double to left for Nick Castellanos.
Bohm then bounced one to his counterpart at third, but it handcuffed Vientos, and Harper raced in to score and make it 1-0 Philadelphia.
They failed to add to it, as J.T. Realmuto hit a shallow fly ball to right field, and Bryson Stott flew out to center to end the frame.
Susrez responded by having his first 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the fourth.
The Mets had the top of the order up in the fifth, and Lindor led off with a double and Vientos walked.
Nimmo then struck out looking, and that was it for Suarez’s long journey.
In came Jeff Hoffman for Alonso, and the anticipation of a big moment only built.
Hoffman, who has struggled in this series, struck out Alonso looking, and then he got Iglesias to bounce one in front of the plate, and Realmuto threw him out.
Quintana came out for the sixth, and Harper greeted him by crushing one into the right field corner.
That was all for him, and in came Reed Garrett, who struck out Castellanos and Realmuto, with a walk to Bohm in between.
David Peterson, the starter who has turned into a reliable reliever, was up next and he got Stott to ground one along the first base line to Alonso to end the frame.
Hoffman remained on for Philadelphia (remember Thomson said he would only use Wheeler in an “emergency”).
Martinez lined one up the middle for a single, then took second on a wild pitch.
Marte then drew a walk, and both he and Martinez moved up when Hoffman bounced one to the backstop with Tyrone Taylor at-bat.
Taylor then walked to load the bases with nobody out for Alvarez.
Hoffman got the Mets catcher to bounce one to short, and Turner got Martinez at the plate on a force out.
Carlos Estevez, a right-hander, came on as the lineup turned over for Lindor.
As he has all year, Lindor delivered just what the Mets needed: a grand slam that instantly made it 4-1.
After so many missed chances and knowing how close to the finish line this now was, the sellout crowd of 44,103 at Citi Field let their presence be felt at that moment.
Francisco Lindor waves to the crowd heading back to the dugout. Photo by Jason Schott. |
It was just the second grand slam in Mets postseason history, with the other from Edgardo Alfonzo in Game 1 of the 1999 NLDS in Arizona.
This was Lindor’s second postseason grand slam, with his first one memorable to fans across town, as it came while he was a Cleveland Indian and it was against Chad Green of the Yankees in Game 2 of the 2017 NLDS.
Peterson remained on for the top of the seventh, and he allowed a one-out single to Brandon Marsh before getting Schwarber to hit into a double play to end the inning.
The Mets had a golden opportunity to pull away in the bottom of the seventh against Orion Kerkering. (Yes, Thomson kept bringing in the same relievers who the Mets have had no trouble with)
Alonso greeted him with a double, took third base on a wild pitch, and then Iglesias drew a walk.
Martinez and Marte each struck out, and then Taylor flew out to right, so the Mets let Kerkering off the hook.
Peterson, no surprise, stayed on for the eighth, and he struck out Turner and got Harper to ground out to third base.
Then, Castellanos singled, and it appeared Bohm hit one past first base for extra bases, but it was ruled foul. That was a big break for the Mets, as Peterson then got him to hit one to Lindor for a force-out to end the inning.
The Mets went to their closer, Edwin Diaz, for the ninth, and he walked the first two hitters he faced before striking out Kody Clemens (son of Roger) for the first out.
Marsh was up next, and he flew out to center field for the second out.
Philadelphia’s lineup turned over, and that meant Schwarber was up next.
Diaz struck him out to end the game and the series, the first celebration of its kind at Citi Field.
Fittingly, the team congregated around Lindor, their Most Valuable Player at shortstop.
The Mets celebrate their series win. Photo by Jason Schott. |
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