Francisco Lindor hit a grand slam in the sixth inning, showcasing his clutch hitting during a remarkable season, and the New York Mets advanced to the National League Championship Series with a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday.
Edwin Díaz struck out Kyle Schwarber with two runners on base to end the game, helping New York finish off their rival Phillies in Game 4 of their best-of-five Division Series, winning 3-1. This marked the Mets’ first postseason series win at home in 24 years.
“I want to win it all. And ours will be a team that will forever be remembered,” Lindor said, speaking in the interview room while one of his young daughters sat on his lap, drinking from a Gatorade bottle.
“This will be a team that comes every 10 years and eats for free everywhere they go. And I want to do that. I want to do that. But the job is not done.”
With tears in his eyes, outfielder Brandon Nimmo hugged Lindor as the Mets rushed onto the field in excitement after the final out.
In a lively locker room, they celebrated with champagne, marking the team’s first clinching celebration at Citi Field in 16 seasons. The last time the Mets won a playoff series at their own park was in the 2000 NLCS at Shea Stadium.
“This is the kind of stuff that I was dreaming about,” Nimmo said in a clubhouse interview broadcast on the giant videoboard in center field. “This has been a long time coming. We wanted it so bad for our fan base.”
After celebrating three clinching victories in 10 days and getting some rest, New York will open the best-of-seven NLCS on Sunday against either the San Diego Padres or the Los Angeles Dodgers. Those teams are tied 2-2 heading into the decisive Game 5 of their NLDS on Friday in Los Angeles.
“Let’s keep this thing rolling!” Mets slugger Pete Alonso told excited fans still in the stands as he emerged from the clubhouse party for an on-field interview while wearing large goggles. “So proud of this group. We’ve overcome so much.”
New York is pursuing its third World Series title and its first since 1986.
“I want to slay the negative Met fan perceptions, and we’re on our way to doing that,” owner Steve Cohen said.
For the NL East champion Phillies, who finished the regular season with 95 wins and six games ahead of the wild-card Mets, it was a tough exit from the playoffs. This disappointing end followed their run to the 2022 World Series and their losses in Games 6 and 7 of the 2023 NLCS at home to Arizona.
After another October setback, Bryce Harper and the Phillies continue to seek the franchise’s third championship.
“We have a really great group. We got beat in a short series,” said manager Rob Thomson.
The Mets seemed a bit too eager at the plate, leaving the bases loaded in both the first and second innings against Ranger Suárez and stranding eight runners in the first five innings.
In the sixth inning, they got three runners on again with no outs, but No. 9 batter Francisco Alvarez grounded into a force out at home against All-Star reliever Jeff Hoffman, who had warmed up three times before entering the game.
With the season on the line, Thomson brought in closer Carlos Estévez to face Lindor, who hit a 2-1 fastball that was clocked at 99 mph into Philadelphia’s bullpen in right-center, giving New York a 4-1 lead and sending the sold-out crowd of 44,103 into a wild celebration.
“I knew it right away,” Estévez said. “I knew I wanted to go a little bit higher on the pitch. Unfortunately, it was more like middle-away instead of up and away, and as soon as he hit it, I knew he hit it really well.”
With his first homer of this postseason, Lindor joined Shane Victorino and Hall of Fame slugger Jim Thome as the only major leaguers with two postseason grand slams. The star shortstop also hit one for Cleveland at Yankee Stadium in Game 2 of the 2017 AL Division Series.
Edgardo Alfonzo is the only other Mets player to hit a postseason grand slam, which he did during the 1999 Division Series at Arizona. Robin Ventura’s grand slam-single in the NLCS that year does not count.
“Got runners on and we couldn’t come up with a big hit until finally, who else? The MVP. I keep saying you could write a book. You could make a movie, because this is it right here,” Mets rookie manager Carlos Mendoza said.
“And then the whole time the inning is unfolding, Lindor is going to do it again. There’s no panic. The way he controls the emotions and he hits that ball. It’s unbelievable.”
Fans chanted “MVP! MVP!” as Lindor went into the dugout and again when he took his place on defense in the seventh inning.
Game 3 on Tuesday was Lindor’s first chance to play at Citi Field since September 8, after missing time near the end of the season due to a back injury.
But few players, if any, have been as important to their team this year as Lindor, who has delivered a series of big hits and key plays as the Mets came back from a 24-35 start to reach their first NLCS since losing the 2015 World Series to Kansas City.
His tying homer in the ninth inning on September 11 against Toronto stopped Bowden Francis’ no-hit attempt and sparked an important Mets win. His go-ahead homer in the ninth on September 30 in Atlanta secured a playoff spot.
“It just gets better and better,” Cohen said. “In that situation, he just comes through over and over again.”
Lindor also came back from a 1-2 count to draw an eight-pitch walk to start the ninth against All-Star closer Devin Williams last week in Milwaukee, helping set up Alonso’s go-ahead homer that saved New York’s season in the Wild Card Series clincher.
“It’s been an uphill fight. It’s been tough. But we’re still not where we want to be,” Lindor said. “This road, it’s been, yeah, it’s been curvy — but I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
Mets starter Jose Quintana didn’t give up any earned runs in five-plus innings, allowing just two hits, while David Peterson pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings to secure the win.
Díaz walked his first two batters in the ninth, which caused some groans from the fans, but then he retired the next three batters — two of them by strikeouts — earning the first postseason save of his career.
The Phillies struggled at the plate throughout the series, except for a late comeback to win Game 2 at home. They scored their only run in the fourth inning due to an error by third baseman Mark Vientos.
Hoffman took his second loss, adding to the struggles of a Philadelphia bullpen that didn’t perform well during the series.
“Some of it’s execution, maybe some of it’s being familiar with our guys,” Thomson said. “I don’t know. It should work both ways, though.”
