Mets keep rolling, use 5-run ninth inning to pull away from Padres
The Mets' Jesse Winker celebrates after hitting an RBI double and advancing to third base as third base coach Mike Sarbaugh, left, looks on during the ninth inning of a game against the Padres on Thursday in San Diego. Credit: AP/Gregory Bull
SAN DIEGO — If you listen to the Mets, you’ll hear them say all the right things. This is just another series. These games count the same as any others. The Padres are a good team playing well, so, yeah, they face a tough task through the weekend.
But if you look at the reality — the standings, the calendar — you’ll know the above sentiments aren’t totally true.
This isn’t just another series. These games, mathematically speaking, count more than those against noncontenders. The Padres are a good team that didn’t play well enough Thursday night in the Mets’ 8-3 win.
Consider it another incremental test passed in the Mets’ October proving ground. They are 3-1 as they approach the halfway point of this 10-game stretch against teams that hold playoff spots. So far, so good — better than good, really.
“I feel like when we play great teams like this we tend to engage and be a little bit more locked in,” said Mark Vientos, who had two hits and three RBIs. “If we take that (approach) with every team, we’re going to be in a good spot toward the end of the season.”
Luis Severino said: “We got a good team. We showed today that we got a good team.”
The Mets (67-61) used a five-run ninth inning to turn what had been a close contest into a blowout of San Diego (72-57), one of the clubs they are chasing in the National League wild-card race. With the victory, the Mets remained 1 1/2 games behind Atlanta for the last berth.
Middle relievers provided a standout performance. Against a team with a recent penchant for late comebacks, three bullpen arms — Danny Young, Reed Garrett, Phil Maton — combined for three hitless innings while the game was still close.
“It was really good to see those guys coming in and doing their job,” manager Carlos Mendoza said.
Edwin Diaz was warming up for the save opportunity until the hitters rendered his services unnecessary. Huascar Brazoban pitched instead and gave up two runs.
San Diego’s greatest threat against Severino came in the fifth, his final frame. He walked two batters and allowed a single from Luis Arraez to load the bases with no outs.
Jake Cronenworth rocketed a grounder to the right side of the infield, where second baseman Jose Iglesias picked it cleanly to start a double play.
“That was the play of the game,” Mendoza said.
Severino said: “Unbelievable. It got me out of the inning.”
A run scored, but Iglesias’ snag helped Severino avoid real damage. He got Xander Bogaerts to ground out to strand runners on second and third.
That left Severino with a good-enough final line: five innings, one run. He scattered five hits and four walks, clearly a lesser version of himself compared to his 113-pitch shutout of the Marlins last weekend. He exited after 87 pitches this time.
“I knew my leash was going to be a little bit shorter today because of how many pitches I threw last time,” he said. “But I feel very good.”
The Mets reached Padres righthander Dylan Cease for three runs (two earned) in 6 1/3 innings.
They got off to a fast start, with Francisco Lindor (2-for-4) and Vientos lining back-to-back doubles to open the game.
Every Mets starter had a hit except Francisco Alvarez, who finished 0-for-5 with four strikeouts. Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil had three hits and an RBI each. The Mets totaled 17 hits, including 12 singles (and no home runs).
“A little bit of everything,” Mendoza said of the game-sealing rally in the ninth. “Up and down, really good at-bats in that inning.”
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.
