Mets win ninth in a row as Jose Quintana picks up career victory No. 100
Mets starting pitcher Jose Quintana delivers against the Cincinnati Reds during the first inning of an MLB game at Citi Field on Saturday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
This is it, the final push.
For months, the Mets have survived and sometimes thrived, defying expectations and staying in the playoff hunt. And as they entered Saturday riding a winning streak and in a dead heat with Atlanta for the third and final wild-card spot, they knew perfectly well that they couldn’t relent.
And even after their 4-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field — their season-high ninth in a row — there’s a distinct sense that there is so, so much further to go.
They know Francisco Lindor has to keep getting on base, they know they have to keep pulling out strong pitching performances and they know they will have to compensate for the loss of Jeff McNeil, who almost certainly is out for the season with a broken wrist.
“It’s amazing how we’ve been doing this,” said Jose Quintana, who on Saturday became the first Colombian-born pitcher to reach 100 career wins. “We have a long last couple weeks. It’s going to be really, really tough. It’s going to be a big fight and [we have to] stay together. It’s amazing to get the ball every five days and support your guys every single day.”
Quintana, who’s had a mercurial year at best, had his third strong outing in a row, continuing the trend for a rotation that has exceeded expectations and paced what could be a season-defining winning streak.
The Mets now have seven shutouts, with all of them coming since July 11. They moved a game ahead of Atlanta for the third wild-card spot, within a half-game of Arizona for the second wild card and within two games of San Diego for the first wild card.
After being held hitless by Jakob Junis for 4 2⁄3 innings, the Mets wasted little time feasting on the Reds’ bullpen. They scored all four of their runs in the sixth behind Harrison Bader’s solo home run, Pete Alonso’s RBI single and J.D. Martinez’s two-run double.
“I didn’t realize it was nine straight — that’s awesome,” Bader said. “That’s kind of where we’re at. It’s just so zoomed in, it’s just so focused. Once it’s done, it’s on to the next. I keep talking about the word ‘process’ here, but without the right process and mentality, I don’t think nine wins are possible.”
Although Lindor didn’t get a hit, he managed to build on his burgeoning MVP candidacy. He walked in the sixth, extending his on-base streak to 35 games. That’s the longest active streak in the majors and the longest of his career, and it tied him with David Wright for third in franchise history. He also scored his 100th run, marking the fourth time in his career that he’s reached that milestone.
Then, of course, there was his defense.
He was in the middle of the Mets’ first double play in the second, when Jose Iglesias made a diving stop and flung the ball to Lindor at second, who followed that with a laser to first to get the slow-footed Ty France for the out.
With a runner on first in the third, Lindor made a sliding stop deep in the hole to kick off a 6-4-3 double play that incited further “M-V-P!” chants throughout Citi Field.
This time he victimized two very good runners in Jake Fraley and Jonathan India.
“It was amazing,” Quintana said. “That was pretty . . . That’s what you want. Get that ground ball and get a chance to get a double play.”
That allowed Quintana to seamlessly continue his master class: He allowed no runs, five hits and two walks with six strikeouts in 6 2⁄3 innings.
And for a while there, the Mets needed every bit of it.
With the wind batting down balls all evening and Junis dealing, the Mets didn’t manage a hit until Iglesias’ double with two outs in the fifth. That was Junis’ last inning, and the Mets were happy to see him go.
Junis allowed no runs, one hit and no walks with five strikeouts, and reliever Sam Moll immediately gave the Mets the lead after coming in for the sixth.
On Moll’s second pitch of the night, Bader blasted a letter-high fastball 390 feet to the opposite field for his 11th home run and a 1-0 lead.
Moll walked Lindor, hit Brandon Nimmo and was replaced by Carson Spiers. He
got a quick first out, but Alonso hit a soft single to center to drive in Lindor for a 2-0 lead. One out later, Martinez hit a two-run double to right.
Adam Ottavino, Danny Young and Edwin Diaz combined for two scoreless innings.
“Especially with what we’ve got going on here with playing meaningful baseball in September, this is so far beyond and bigger than any individual,” Bader said.
“We’ve got a fantastic opportunity here.”
The Mets have three weeks to hold on to it and not let go. Let the (last 20) games begin.
Laura Albanese is a reporter, feature writer and columnist covering local professional sports teams; she began at Newsday in 2007 as an intern.
