(2024) Mets Win Ninth Straight- Move Up in Wild Card Race

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Saturday September 7th, 2024: The red-hot Mets were riding a season best eight game win streak, tied for the third place in the wild card race. This rainy afternoon had 34,048 fans come to Citi Field to see Carlos Mendoza's Mets (77-64) take on David Bells Reds (68-75). 

The Mets moved on after learning Jeff McNeil would miss the rest of the regular season after getting hit in the wrist in last night's game. Today's pitchers, Jose Quintana (7-9) went up against Jakob Junis (4-0) who was making just his third start of the season in 21 appearances.

Jose Quintana had a shaky 2nd inning issuing a leadoff walk, but the Mets defense turned a 4-6-3 double play. Quintana the gave up back-to-back singles but he then struck out Amed Rosario to end the inning. He would scatter just three more hits thru the middle of the 7th inning, leaving with a 4-0 lead. 

Overall, he surrendered no runs, struck out six & walked two earning his 100th career victory to get to 8-9 on the season. 

From August 25th to September 7th, over his last three starts, Quintana was 2-1 with a 0.50 ERA, striking out 12 batters in 18 innings bringing his ERA down to 4.09.

In the bottom of the 6th, Harrison Bader broke out of an 0-15 slump, that went as far back as
going 2-48 since August 15th, when he hit his 11th HR of the season. Red's pitcher Sam Moll then walked Francisco Lindor & barely hit Brandon Nimmo with a pitch putting two men on. 

Mets Trivia: With the walk for Lindor, he set a Mets single season record by reaching base safely in 35 straight games passing Pete Alonso's old record. 

Pete Alonso then singled bringing in his 79th run of the year making it 2-0. J.D. Martinez followed with a two-run double making it 4-0. It was J.D.'s 23rd double of the year & 67-68th RBIs.

Quotes- Manager Carlos Mendoza: "It feels like every day it's a different guy & that's what
good teams do. We're doing that right now." 

The Mets bullpen of Adam Ottavino, Danny Young & Edwin Diaz combined with Quintana for the shut out. The Mets won their ninth win in a row, their longest win streak of the season & best since 2018. They now won 11 of their last 13 games as well. With the Braves, Diamondbacks & Padres losing they too hold of the third wild card spot, 1/2 game behind the d-backs second spot & two behind the Padres top spot.


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