Having already dispatched the Yankees with ease, the Mets kept their winning ways going Thursday in dramatic fashion.
They opened their four-game series against Atlanta with a 3-2, 10-inning win at Citi Field, capped off by Jeff McNeil’s two-out single that scored free-runner Jose Iglesias.
It was the Mets’ fourth straight win and brought them to within half a game of the slumping Braves for the top spot in the NL wild-card race.
Winners of 14 of their last 17 games in Queens, the Mets also sent Atlanta to its fifth consecutive defeat.
After J.D. Martinez struck out to lead off the bottom of the 10th, Pete Alonso was walked intentionally with Pierce Johnson on the mound.
Mark Vientos whiffed, but the suddenly hot McNeil lofted one down the right-field line that was misplayed by Ramon Laureano and it fell for the game-winner.
Phil Maton pitched the top of the 10th and after Orlando Arcia bunted Laureano, the free runner, to third, things got interesting.
With ex-Met prospect Jarred Kelenic at the plate, Laureano broke for home in an apparent squeeze attempt, but Kelenic didn’t bunt. In fact, he pulled the bat back as the pitch came in.
Laureano got caught in a rundown, tagged out by Francisco Alvarez — who took exception to Laureano shouldering him during the tag.
Cooler heads prevailed and Maton got Kelenic on a comebacker to finish the inning.
It was an eventful start to a key series.
Luis Severino pitched around a one-out double by Austin Riley followed by a walk to Marcell Ozuna in the top of the first.
But the bottom of the Braves’ lineup got to the right-hander in the second, as Laureano singled through the left side of the infield with two out, stole second and scored on Arcia’s base hit to right for the game’s first run.
Chris Sale had allowed two or fewer runs in his previous seven starts and 13 of his prior 14 outings.
The 35-year-old is having his best season since his career was derailed by Tommy John surgery in 2020.
Sale retired the first five batters he faced and McNeil was thrown out trying to advance to second after reaching on an infield single.
The Mets got to Sale in the third. It started with a one-out walk to Tyrone Taylor and they took the lead on Francisco Lindor’s 22nd homer of the season. The two-run shot to center made it 2-1.
It was Lindor’s fifth homer in his last four games and he was greeted by chants of “MVP” as he rounded the bases.
Sale, though, didn’t give up a hit the rest of the way and retired 13 of the final 14 batters he faced.
Severino needed 61 pitches to get through three innings, but threw just seven in the fourth after being given the lead.
He allowed three straight base runners and a run that tied the game to start the sixth and was replaced by Jose Butto with two on and no one out. Butto got the next three to keep the game tied.
The right-hander, moved to the bullpen earlier in the season, retired all nine batters he faced before giving way to Diaz to start the ninth.
Diaz walked Eddie Rosario to start the inning and pinch-runner Whit Merrifield then stole second.
But Diaz recovered to fan Nacho Alvarez Jr. for the first out.
Merrifield then attempted to swipe third, but was thrown out by Alvarez and Diaz whiffed Laureano.