The tension was starting to build. The Mets had their chances. More chances than most teams have ever had in a situation like this with a playoff series on the line, but for much of the game, they seemed to get tight in the big at-bats.
Then their MVP stepped to the plate with the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth inning, and just as he has on countless occasions over the last couple of months, Francisco Lindor changed the course of the game and the Mets’ season with just one swing. The shortstop got a 2-1 fastball from Carlos Estévez and clobbered it 398 feet to right-center field to put the Mets in front 4-1. SLAMCISCO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! pic.
twitter.com/le3temNIK7 Before Lindor’s heroics, the Mets repeatedly let the Phillies off the hook. They loaded the bases with one out in the first inning before Ranger Suarez struck out Jose Iglesias and J.
D. Martinez to end the inning. They loaded the bases with two outs in the second inning, but Brandon Nimmo grounded out to first.
Then, they put runners on first and second with nobody out in the fifth inning but Suarez struck out Nimmo and then Jeff Hoffman retired both Pete Alonso and Iglesias to get out of the jam. Suarez finished with 4.1 scoreless innings while allowing five hits and walking four batters.
He is one of three pitchers in MLB history to allow nine or more baserunners in fewer than five innings and NOT allow a run in a postseason game, and, according to Sarah Langs , Suárez’s 21 batters faced are tied f.
