Mets' bullpen falters late against Reds as 9-game winning streak comes to an end
NEW YORK -- Santiago Espinal hit a tie-breaking, two-run double in the ninth inning to lift the Cincinnati Reds to a 3-1 victory and snap the New York Mets' nine-game winning streak on Sunday.
Minutes after the Mets lost, the Atlanta Braves beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 to move into a tie with New York for the final National League playoff berth. Both teams have 19 games left, including three at Truist Park in the penultimate series of the season Sept. 24-26.
The Mets lead the majors with a 56-32 record since May 30. Their nine-game winning streak was the team's longest since a nine-game run in April 2018.
"I think for us right now, we're not worrying about who's winning, who's losing," Mets pitcher Luis Severino said after he tossed 6 2/3 solid innings. "Right now we just need to win series. Even when we were not even in the talk of being in the playoffs, we were just trying to win games. And if we continue to do that, if we continue to focus on our team, not worry about what the other teams are doing, I think we're going to do good."
Phil Maton (2-3) opened the ninth by plunking Spencer Steer before Ty France legged out an infield single. Both runners advanced a base on Jake Fraley's groundout before Espinal's hit down the left-field line.
"I feel like the pressure's on the pitcher - I don't put pressure on myself," Espinal said. "I just go out there, try to put the ball in play."
The two-run rally ended an 80-inning streak in which the Mets hadn't trailed, the longest streak in the majors this season.
"Streaks have to come to an end, but we've been playing really good baseball," said Mets left fielder Brandon Nimmo, whose potential two-run homer sailed just foul in the third.
Noelvi Marte had a game-tying RBI single in the seventh to snap an 18-inning scoreless streak for Cincinnati, which hit .211 (8 for 38) with runners on in the three-game series.
"When things happen like that, it's actually frustrating," Espinal said. "But we've just got to keep focusing on ourselves."
A quartet of Reds relievers combined to retire the last 10 Mets following Starling Marte's RBI single in the sixth. Buck Farmer (3-0) threw the eighth and Alexis Díaz earned his 26th save with a 1-2-3 ninth.
"Bullpen kind of got us to that point," Reds manager David Bell said.
Eight Reds relievers -- including Brandon Williamson, who worked 4 1/3 innings as a bulk reliever in Friday's 6-4 10-inning loss -- combined to throw 248 pitches over 15 1/3 innings in the series.
"They've just been unbelievable," Bell said. "Probably a bit tired, but they just continue to compete and do what it takes."
Rookie starter Julian Aguiar allowed two hits over 4 2/3 scoreless innings.
Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, whose career-high 16-game hitting streak ended Saturday, went 0 for 4 as his on-base streak ended at 35 games -- the longest single-season streak in team history and third-longest overall behind Nimmo (36 games in 2019-20) and John Olerud (47 games in 1998-99).
Severino gave up one run on five hits and whiffed eight.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Reds: 2B Jonathan India exited the game in the sixth with left elbow discomfort. Bell said India is day-to-day. ... OF TJ Friedl lined out as a pinch-hitter in the eighth after exiting Saturday's game due to shortness of breath. Friedl visited a local hospital Saturday night and was released after blood work and EKG came back clean. Bell is hopeful Friedl can return to the lineup Monday. ... LHP Sam Moll (left shoulder impingement) was placed on the 15-day injured list Sunday. Moll took the defeat Saturday, when he didn't record an out while facing three batters in the sixth inning of a 4-0 loss. LHP Casey Legumina was recalled from Triple-A Louisville.
Mets: IF Jeff McNeil (fractured right wrist) was placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Saturday. McNeil will miss the rest of the regular season after being hit by a 74 mph curveball from Williamson on Friday night. OF DJ Stewart was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to give New York another left-handed bat.
UP NEXT
Reds: RHP Nick Martinez (7-6, 3.67 ERA) will start Monday, when Cincinnati continues a 10-game, 10-day, four-city road trip Monday with a visit to Atlanta to make up a game postponed by rain July 24. RHP Charlie Morton (8-7, 4.24 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Braves.
Mets: Hit the road for a six-game trip Monday, when RHP Paul Blackburn (5-4, 4.66 ERA) is expected to come off the injured list and open a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays. Blackburn was sidelined by a right hand contusion suffered when he was hit by a comebacker in his most recent start Aug. 23. The Blue Jays have not yet announced a starter.