Mark Vientos hit a pair of two-run homers Friday night, including the walk-off blast in the 10th inning, as the red-hot New York Mets beat the visiting Cincinnati Reds 6-4 in the opener of a three-game series.
Vientos battled Justin Wilson (1-5) for seven pitches before homering well into the first deck in left. He also homered to left in the first and finished with three hits.
The New York third baseman tossed his bat high into the air before rounding the bases and stomping on home plate, where his teammates tore off his uniform and undershirt to celebrate his winning swing.
Jose Iglesias and J.D. Martinez had consecutive RBI singles in the sixth for the Mets (77-64), who have won eight straight. New York remains tied with the Atlanta Braves for the National League’s final wild-card spot.
Jose Butto (7-3) threw a 1-2-3 10th inning to close out a stretch of 3 1/3 perfect innings by a trio of Mets relievers.
Elly De La Cruz (fourth inning) and TJ Friedl (seventh inning) hit two-run homers for the Reds (68-74), whose four-game winning streak was snapped.
Cincinnati had just three hits and didn’t strand a runner until automatic runner Spencer Steer was left at second in the 10th, when shortstop Francisco Lindor glided across second base to rob Santiago Espinal of the potential go-ahead hit.
Steer had the Reds’ other hit, a second-inning single, and stole a base before Friedl’s round-tripper in the seventh.
Lindor led off the game by singling against Fernando Cruz to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 16 games. He has also reached safely in 34 consecutive games, the major leagues’ longest active streak.
Mets starter Sean Manaea allowed four runs on three hits and two walks while striking out nine over 6 2/3 innings.
Cruz served as an opener for the Reds and gave up the two first-inning runs on two hits while striking out three. Brandon Williamson surrendered one run on one hit and one walk while striking out one over 4 2/3 innings as a bulk reliever.
–Field Level Media
