Francisco Lindor's 9th-inning homer lifts Mets into the playoffs
ATLANTA — The Mets finally clinched a playoff spot Monday afternoon the same way they’ve done just about everything this season: dramatically.
Francisco Lindor’s two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning lifted the Mets to an 8-7 win over Atlanta, the last in a series of whiplash-inducing, late-inning turns and ensuring them a National League wild-card berth no matter the outcome of the second game.
Edwin Diaz, after blowing a three-run lead in the bottom of the eighth, returned for the ninth and stranded the potential tying run at second base. With his 40th pitch, Diaz induced a groundout from Travis d’Arnaud to Lindor at shortstop.
Where the Mets go for the first round of the playoffs, which begins Tuesday, was to be determined by the second game. If the Mets win again, they will be the No. 5 seed, travel to San Diego and play the Padres in a best-of-three series. If the Mets lose, they will be the No. 6 seed, go back to Milwaukee and get the Brewers again. In that scenario, Atlanta, too, would make the playoffs and head to San Diego.
The Mets and Atlanta combined for 12 runs in the final two innings.
The Mets trailed 3-0 heading into the eighth then broke out for six runs. Against closer Raisel Iglesias, whom Atlanta had brought in for a six-out save, Jose Iglesias had the tying single, Mark Vientos had the go-ahead sacrifice fly and Brandon Nimmo had the signature moment: an absolutely crushed two-run home run to right, which he watched as he walked down the first-base line. Then he looked into the Mets’ dugout as he broke into a jog, rare for the guy who is known for sprinting to first.
Atlanta rallied back in the bottom of the eighth. Diaz entered with a three-run lead — and the potential tying run at the plate — and immediately melted down. He failed to cover first on Jarred Kelenic’s grounder to first, turning a potential inning-ending out into an RBI single. Then Diaz walked Michael Harris II to load the bases and gave up a go-ahead, three-run double to Ozzie Albies.
Lindor’s homer off Pierce Johnson stood as the game-winner.
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
