Francisco Lindor's grand slam lifts Mets into NLCS, ousts Phillies

NEW YORK -- Before the New York Mets gathered for another celebratory team photo Wednesday night, after another thrilling postseason series victory to extend this dream season to the National League Championship Series, Francisco Lindor made it a point to hug as many people as possible.

The night's hero thanks to a go-ahead grand slam, the franchise cornerstone paid like a franchise cornerstone for these nights, bounced around the infield grass at Citi Field from embrace to embrace. There was a warm hug with Alex Cohen, owner Steve Cohen's wife, who was in tears. There were daps with teammates and coaches and support staff.

Finally, before rushing to the mound for the team photo, there was an extended hug by second base with Brandon Nimmo, the longest-tenured player on the roster. The shortstop and the outfielder squeezed tight. Nimmo dug his face into Lindor's shoulder. Tears welled in his eyes.

"It's really hard to put into words what we've gone through behind closed doors," Nimmo said. "And so for us to be able to experience this together, it's very emotional. We are trying to enjoy every second of this."

The Mets had just beaten the Philadelphia Phillies 4-1 in Game 4 of the NL Division Series to reach the NLCS for the first time since 2015 behind Lindor's slam in the sixth inning. There is more work to be done, eight wins remaining to reach the goal of hoisting the franchise's first World Series trophy since 1986. But Wednesday's win carried weight. The emotions showed that.

"This is amazing," Lindor said. "This is an amazing day."

By taking the series 3-1, the Mets clinched a playoff series at Citi Field for the first time in the ballpark's 15-year history and clinched a series at home at all for the first time since the 2000 NLCS. They'll hop on a cross-country flight to play Game 1 of the NLCS on Sunday in either San Diego or Los Angeles, a fact that seemed unfathomable five months ago.

The Mets started the season 0-5. They lost 15 of 19 games in May to fall 11 games under .500, a disastrous stretch that culminated with reliever Jorge Lopez throwing his glove into the home crowd during a loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 29.

The situation was dire enough for Lindor to call a players-only meeting. New York has gone 72-42 since.

"Nobody has us anywhere close to this moment," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. "And for us to be celebrating here at home, in front of our fanbase. For Lindor to come through in that way. What a story. I keep saying it."

The story includes Grimace, a purple fast-food mascot believed by some to have sparked a seven-game winning streak with its first pitch in June. It includes a World War II veteran named Seymour Weiner becoming an internet sensation after being honored in April. It includes Jose Iglesias, a veteran infielder who didn't play in the majors last season, began the year in Triple A, was called up two days after the players-only meeting on the last day of May, became an integral piece on the field while a song he released a month later became the team's anthem, and will release remix to the track with Pitbull on Friday. It includes "OMG" signs and a lucky pumpkin and emotional supportive eye black.

Most importantly, it includes a seemingly never-ending supply of clutch hits. On Wednesday, it was Lindor's turn -- again. Nearly a month after a back injury surfaced to jeopardize his season and 12 days after he delivered the go-ahead, two-run home run in the Mets' playoff-clinching win over the Atlanta Braves, Lindor stepped to the plate in the sixth inning with the bases loaded. Phillies manager Rob Thomson summoned Carlos Estevez, his closer, to face Lindor. The aggressive move backfired. Estévez fell behind 2-1 and grooved a 99 mph fastball over the plate. Lindor swatted it 398 feet into the visiting bullpen.

Lindor did not flip his bat. He did not scream. He did not explode with emotion. He did not have to.

After hearing boos from the home crowd in April for his slow start, hysteria surrounded the $341 million shortstop in October.

"I remember putting my hands up," Mets first baseman Pete Alonso said. "My hands were just in the air. I was just in awe. That was an unbelievable swing. That was the swing of a lifetime. That's what you practice in the backyard as a kid growing up."

To that point of the game, the theme of the evening was the Mets' wasted opportunities. New York left the bases loaded in the first and second innings against Ranger Suarez. They went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left eight runners on base through five innings. Suárez, after throwing 53 pitches in the first two innings, somehow pitched into the fifth by accumulating all six of his strikeouts with his curveball.

The Phillies, meanwhile, manufactured a run against Jose Quintana in the fourth inning. Bryce Harper worked a one-out walk. Nick Castellanos roped a double on the next pitch. Then Alec Bohm hit a dribbler to third baseman Mark Vientos, who bobbled the ball and didn't make a play. Harper scored and the Phillies led 1-0 with just one hit.

The unearned run was the only damage Philadelphia could manage against Quintana, a 35-year-old left-hander who entered the night with a 0.63 ERA over his seven starts since Aug. 25. He held Philadelphia to the one run on two hits and two walks. He has yet to give up a run in 11 postseason innings.

Quintana was in the trainer's room beginning his recovery treatment when his teammates mounted another threat in the sixth inning. It started with a leadoff single from J.D. Martinez off All-Star reliever Jeff Hoffman. Starling Marte was hit by a pitch and Tyrone Taylor drew a walk to juice the bases a third time.

The first attempt to breakthrough went to Francisco Alvarez. He hit grounded into a fielder's choice at home plate. Up next came Lindor.

"The whole time, I was like this is who we are," Mendoza said. "This is part of the story. This is part of the book, the movie, whatever you want to call it. And then when he connects with that ball, I just wanted him to enjoy it and watch the boys jump up and down. It was hard for us to score runs in this game. Lindor, our MVP."

Lindor's blast has the Mets four wins from the sixth pennant in franchise history. It is the success he envisioned when he signed his 10-year, $341 million contract extension on the eve of opening day in 2021, three months after the Mets acquired him from Cleveland. And it is the success Nimmo envisioned when the Mets drafted him in the first round a decade before that.

The turbulence along the way is what made Wednesday so memorable. The reason why Lindor raced around hugging people. The reason why Nimmo shed tears. The job is not over, but the Mets savored this step.

"I love them for believing in me," Lindor said. "I really believe in every one of them. I believe that anybody at any given time can do something special."