Oct. 10 (UPI) — Francisco Lindor turned his wrists and slashed his bat’s barrel into a 99.4-mph fastball for what proved to be a game-winning grand slam, leading the New York Mets into the National League Championship Series.
Lindor’s homer occurred in the bottom of the sixth inning of the 4-1 win in Game 4 of the National League Division Series against the second-seeded Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday in Flushing, N.Y.
“It feels amazing to be able to continue to move forward,” Lindor told reporters. “It’s been an uphill fight. It’s been tough. We’re still not where we want to be.
“We’ve got to continue to play the game right way day in and day out. We will enjoy this one and celebrate it, but you’ve got to stay the course.”
The No. 6 Mets won the best-of-five game series 3-1 and will meet the No. 1 Los Angeles Dodgers or No. 4 San Diego Padres in the NLCS, a best-of-seven game series, with a trip to the World Series on the line.
Lindor went 2 for 5 in Game 4. The star shortstop was 5 for 15 (.333) with a home run and five RBIs over the final three games of the series. Mets third baseman Mark Vientos and first baseman Pete Alonso also recorded two hits apiece in Wednesday’s win.
Mets starter Jose Quintana allowed just two hits and one run over five innings. The Phillies scored their lone run off a fielding error from Vientos in the top of the fourth.
Designated hitter J.D. Martinez started the sixth-inning rally with a leadoff single. Phillies relief pitcher Jeff Hoffman hit Starling Marte in the next at-bat. He then walked Tyrone Taylor, loading the bases for the Mets.
Catcher Francisco Alvarez grounded into a force out in the next exchange, bringing Lindor to the plate with one out and the bases loaded.
The veteran infielder took a 2-1 lead in the count against Phillies relief pitcher Carlos Estevez. Estevez then tossed in a fourth-consecutive fastball, which drifted to the middle of the strike zone. Lindor smashed it for his 398-foot dagger.
Mets relief pitchers Reed Garrett, David Peterson and Edwin Diaz shut out the Phillies over the final three innings to seal the victory.
Right fielder Nick Castellanos, who went 2 for 4, was the only Phillies player with multiple hits.
The Mets will face the Dodgers or Padres in Game 1 of the NLCS on Sunday in Los Angeles or San Diego. The Dodgers beat the Padres 8-0 in Game 4 of their series, which is tied 2-2, on Wednesday in San Diego.
Game 5 will be at 8:08 p.m. Friday in Los Angeles.
The No. 6 Detroit Tigers beat the No. 2 Cleveland Guardians 3-0 in Game 3 to take a 2-1 lead in that American League Division Series. Game 4 will be at 6:08 p.m. Thursday in Detroit.
The No. 1 New York Yankees beat the No. 5 Kansas City Royals 3-2 in Game 3 of the other American League Division Series. They lead that series 2-1. Game 4 will be at 8:08 p.m. Thursday in Kansas City, Mo.
The winners from the ALDS will meet Monday in Game 1 of the ALCS.
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