Mets head to NLCS after Francisco Lindor's grand slam beats Phillies in NLDS Game 4
Mets’ Francisco Lindor celebrates with Tyrone Taylor after hitting a grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4 of the NLDS on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024 at Citi Field. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
For hours Wednesday night, another sold-out crowd at Citi Field stood, cheered, clapped and begged — usually enthusiastically, occasionally nervously — in anticipation of the inevitable.
They knew what was coming. The Mets knew, too. And deep down, if they were willing to be honest, even the Phillies probably had an inkling.
Because for these Mets, the big hit always comes — or has, at least, for more than four months now, from surviving over the summer to thriving in autumn. And although their 4-1 win in Game 4 of the NL Division Series followed the script, this version was as spectacular as any.
Francisco Lindor’s go-ahead, pandemonium-inducing grand slam off Phillies closer Carlos Estevez in the sixth inning put the Mets on top for good, sending them into baseball’s final four with perhaps the biggest moment in the history of this ballpark.
When Edwin Diaz struck out Kyle Schwarber, the potential tying run, he set off a celebration like Citi Field had never seen. The Mets formed two mobs, initially around Diaz and then around Lindor near second base. This marked the first time the Mets clinched anything — a postseason berth or a playoff series — in their current stadium.
The Mets are headed to the NL Championship Series for the first time since 2015. Game 1 is Sunday against the Padres or Dodgers, with the winner of that NLDS hosting each of the first two contests. The Mets’ likely starter: Kodai Senga.
Before Lindor’s dramatics, the Mets had all sorts of close calls. Philadelphia lefthander Ranger Suarez white-knuckled his way through 4 1/3 innings, somehow not allowing a run despite the Mets putting eight runners on base (five hits, three walks).
The Mets’ missed chances came early and often. In the first, they had the bases loaded and one out, but Jose Iglesias — taking huge swings — and J.D. Martinez struck out, both going down whiffing at Suarez’s signature curveball.
In the second, they had the bases loaded again, this time after putting their first two runners on. But Francisco Alvarez and Francisco Lindor struck out and Brandon Nimmo groundout out.
Pete Alonso worked a leadoff walk in the third, but Martinez erased him by grounding into a double play.
Suarez’s outing ended with one last primo shot for the Mets, who received a double from Lindor and walk from Mark Vientos to begin the bottom of the fifth. But after Nimmo struck out, Phillies manager Rob Thomson turned to All-Star reliever Jeff Hoffman, who had warmed up repeatedly, beginning in the second. Hoffman retired Alonso (strikeout looking) and Iglesias (groundout) to escape another jam.
Altogether, the Mets stranded eight runners on base against Suarez. They went 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position, but both hits were singles on weak grounders to third baseman Alec Bohm — and one of those could have been an error since Bohm bobbled it.
The Mets’ lefty, Jose Quintana, meanwhile, was almost the opposite. He didn’t allow a hit until the fourth inning, when Nick Castellanos’ double put two runners in scoring position with one out.
That was when the Phillies scored their only run off Quintana across five-plus innings. Bohm sent a bouncer to Mark Vientos, his counterpart at the hot corner, and Vientos wanted to throw home to try to cut down Bryce Harper. But he bobbled the ball — twice — and everybody was safe.
The only other hit against Quintana was Harper’s double to open the sixth. David Peterson, who tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings in his third relief appearance of the postseason, stranded him there. When Bryson Stott grounded out to end that treat, the fans came alive again, so eager to explode.
“I love it. They're intense. They live and die on every pitch, every play, every game,” manager Carlos Mendoza said before the game. “I think they feel it as much as we do, and they want it as much as we want it. It's a privilege, man.
“When you watch this building the way it was not only last night but for the past month or so, it comes from their heart, you know. It feels like it's a family, not only inside the building but outside. Like the way Francisco Lindor calls them, Mets Nation. They're amazing.
“It is a privilege, man, to be able to not only manage this team but connect with the fan base. It's hard for me to describe. I couldn't ask for a better fan base, to be honest with you.”
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.
