Mark Vientos hit two two-run homers, including a game-winning leadoff blast in the 10th inning, leading the New York Mets to a 6-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night. This victory extended the Mets’ winning streak to eight games.
New York has not fallen behind in 63 innings and is currently on its longest winning streak since an eight-game run in August 2019. The Mets remain tied with Atlanta for the final National League wild-card spot.
“I think September’s the right time to get hot,” Vientos said. For the first time in their All-Star careers, Mets closer Edwin Díaz and his younger brother Alexis Díaz, who is a top reliever for the Reds, both pitched in the same game.
Edwin Díaz struck out all three batters he faced in the ninth inning, including Elly De La Cruz and Spencer Steer with fastballs reaching 100 mph. Alexis Díaz pitched a scoreless bottom of the ninth to keep the game tied.
“We both did good,” Edwin Díaz said with a smile. “So he can’t say anything to me, I can’t say anything to him.”
After the game, they took photos on the field with around 20 family members, including their parents.
“It was a very special day,” Alexis Díaz said through teammate Nick Martinez, who translated from Spanish to English. “It was an emotional moment.”
With Brandon Nimmo as the automatic runner on second base, Vientos hit a 2-2 fastball from Justin Wilson (1-5) into left field for his 24th home run and his second walk-off homer of the season.
“I knew I was going to get an opportunity. I feel like I kind of want the opportunity in those situations and when I got it I was like, yes, let’s do this,” Vientos said. “We were confident that we were going to win that game.”
As Vientos rounded the bases, he tossed his bat and then his helmet into the air. His teammates rushed him at home plate, celebrating with joy, pouring liquids on him, and even tearing off his jersey.
“I don’t know if I believe in magic, but I think we have the energy and the right mindset going into this month because we’re hungry and we want to make it to the playoffs,” Vientos said.
Jose Buttó (7-3) pitched a flawless 10th inning to earn the win. New York’s bullpen, which had struggled earlier in the season, has a 0.72 ERA over 25 innings during this winning streak.
Cincinnati had just completed a three-game sweep of the top team in the AL West, Houston, and had won four straight games overall.
De La Cruz and TJ Friedl each hit a two-run homer off Mets starter Sean Manaea, which tied the game. De La Cruz hit his home run in the fourth inning after Jonathan India walked. Friedl’s homer in the seventh tied the game at 4-4 after Manaea threw a hanging 78 mph slider.
Manaea, who gave up three hits and struck out nine, was replaced after the seventh inning. The left-hander, who has become the Mets’ top starter this season, received a warm applause from the crowd of 25,335 as he left the mound.
The Mets took a 4-2 lead in the sixth inning with RBI singles from pinch-hitter Jose Iglesias and new dad J.D. Martinez. Pete Alonso started the rally with a two-out double when his hit slipped out of Jake Fraley’s glove as he tried to catch it in the corner.
“There’s never panic. We’re never out of the game. That’s the feeling,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “There’s a lot of different ways that we can create runs.”
Vientos gave the Mets a 2-0 lead nine pitches into the game with a home run off opener Fernando Cruz.
Francisco Lindor reached base with a soft leadoff single, extending his hitting streak to 16 games, a career high. Lindor also extended his on-base streak to 34 games, another career best and the longest active streak in the majors.
