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Mets deliver knockout blow to Phillies with Lindor grand slam, advance to NLCS: Highlights

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Mets deliver knockout blow to Phillies with Lindor grand slam, advance to NLCS: Highlights

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This National League Division Series ended at the intersection of joy and dread on Wednesday night. 

The joy came from the New York Mets, taking their cue for months from their spritely second baseman and putting on a wild and rollicking run through the pennant chase and playoffs. 

The dread came from the Philadelphia Phillies, the NL East champions who won 95 games but clenched up badly when faced with their division rivals in this NLDS. 

And they were finally put out of their misery by one swing from Francisco Lindor. 

His sixth-inning grand slam erased a one-run deficit and vaulted the Mets to a 4-1 victory and a 3-1 NLDS conquest of their rivals, putting a stunning spin on their season of seeming destiny.

Lindor’s blast came with one out in the sixth off Phillies closer Carlos Estevez, whose presence that early in the game spoke to his team’s desperation. Philly’s disaster was seeded by set-up man Jeff Hoffman, who gave up a single, hit a batter, walked another and threw two wild pitches, prompting Philadelphia manager Rob Thomson to summon Estevez. 

He recorded one bases-loaded out before Lindor clocked a 99-mph fastball into the right field seats, completing a trilogy of stunning late-inning Mets longballs that got them here. 

The first was struck by Lindor, whose two-run ninth-inning home run in Game 161 against Atlanta got New York in the postseason derby to begin with. 

The second came from Pete Alonso, whose one-out, three-run shot in the winner-take-all Game 3 of the NL wild card series erased a two-run Milwaukee lead and vaulted New York into the NLDS. 

Lindor provided the coda, ending a frustrating few innings for the Mets, who twice loaded the bases against Phillies starter Ranger Suarez but came away with nothing. 

The Mets advance to the NL Championship Series for the first time since 2015, where they will meet the winner of the San Diego Padres-Los Angeles Dodgers series in the NLCS. 

Here’s how Game 4 unfolded on Wednesday:

Edwin Diaz walked the first two batters of the ninth giving the Phillies three chances to tie the game – but the Mets embattled closer struck out Kody Clemens and got Brandon Marsh to fly out before whiffing Kyle Schwarber to end the game and send New York to the NLCS.

New York’s magical 2024 run continues.

David Peterson turned in a spectacular relief outing, tossing 2 ⅓ scoreless innings to send the Mets into the ninth with the lead. Peterson is in line for the win after coming on with two outs in the sixth, retiring Bryson Stott in a big spot – with Francisco Lindor delivering a go-ahead grand slam in the bottom of the frame.

Phillies reliever Orion Kerkering put runners on the corners with nobody out and the Mets threatening to add to their lead, but the rookie right-hander struck out J.D. Martinez and Starling Marte before getting Tyrone Taylor to fly out and end the inning.

The Mets are six outs away from their first NLCS trip since 2015.

The Mets loaded the bases with nobody out (again) but Francisco Lindor finally got the runs home, slugging a grand slam to right-center field against Phillies reliever Carlos Estevez.

It was the Mets’ first postseason grand slam since Edgardo Alfonzo in the 1999 NLDS against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

In the top of the sixth, starter Jose Quintana was removed after surrendering a leadoff double to Bryce Harper, with Reid Garrett coming out of the bullpen. The right-hander struck out Nick Castellanos and walked Alec Bohm before striking out JT Realmuto for the second out with two men on. Lefty David Peterson came on to force a Bryson Stott groundout, sending it to the bottom of the sixth

Francisco Lindor led off the bottom of the fifth with a double and Mark Vientos walked, but Ranger Suarez got another huge strikeout before giving way to Jeff Hoffman. Philadelphia’s All-Star reliever struck out Pete Alonso and got Jose Iglesias to fly out, ending the frame.

The Mets have failed to bring in a run in 10 at-bats with runners in scoring position.

After Bryce Harper walked and Nick Castellanos doubled to left, Alec Bohm brought in on a run with a fielder’s choice and an error credited to Mets third baseman Mark Vientos. 

Quintana got the next two outs to avoid further damage, with the Phillies taking a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the fourth.

Ranger Suárez worked out of a bases-loaded jam for the second inning a row, getting Brandon Nimmo to ground out to first base to end the threat. 

Suárez walked Starling Marte to lead and then gave up a single to Tyrone Taylor, putting two on with nobody out. The southpaw struck out Francisco Lindor and Francisco Lindor but Mark Vientos’ infield single loaded the bases – with Suárez ultimately winning the two-out battle with Nimmo.

The Mets loaded the bases with one out against Ranger Suárez – a Mark Vientos double, Brandon Nimmo walk and Pete Alonso infield single – but the Phillies lefty bounced back to strike out Jose Iglesias and J.D. Martinez to escape unscathed.

Iglesias entered Wednesday’s game 6-for-8 in his career against Suárez.

Mets starter Jose Quintana set the Phillies down 1-2-3 in the top of the first, striking out Kyle Schwarber to lead off and Bryce Harper to end the frame.

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  1. Kyle Schwarber (L) DH
  2. Trea Turner (R) SS
  3. Bryce Harper (L) 1B
  4. Nick Castellanos (R) RF
  5. Alec Bohm (R) 3B
  6. J.T. Realmuto (R) C
  7. Bryson Stott (L) 2B
  8. Weston Wilson (R) LF
  9. Brandon Marsh (L) CF
  1. Francisco Lindor (S) SS
  2. Mark Vientos (R) 3B
  3. Brandon Nimmo (L) LF
  4. Pete Alonso (R) 1B
  5. Jose Iglesias (R) 2B
  6. J.D. Martinez (R) DH
  7. Starling Marte (R) RF
  8. Tyrone Taylor (R) CF
  9. Francisco Alvarez (R) C

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

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