NEW YORK (AP) — Luis Severino pitched seven crisp innings, Francisco Lindor sparked New York’s lineup again and the surging Mets inched closer to a playoff spot by beating the Boston Red Sox 4-1 on Monday night.
Brandon Nimmo hit an RBI double and saved a run with a terrific catch for the Mets, who have won five straight and 12 of 17 to move within a half-game of idle Atlanta for the final National League wild card.
Greeted with “MVP! MVP!” chants throughout New York’s first home game following a 7-3 trip, Lindor singled twice and was plunked by a pitch. His second base hit scored Luis Torrens to make it 4-1 in the fourth.
Lindor has reached base in a career-high 31 consecutive games and is riding a 13-game hitting streak, his longest of the season. He is batting .305 with 22 homers and 60 RBIs since moving into the leadoff spot on May 18.
At 74-64, the Mets are 10 games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2022 season. They were 11 games under .500 on June 2.
Severino (10-6) allowed one run and six hits. He struck out five walked two and threw 66 of his 100 pitches for strikes. The right-hander has given up two runs or fewer in five of his nine second-half starts.
Danny Young retired Rafael Devers on a grounder to strand two runners in the eighth. Phil Maton struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth for his fifth career save, third this season and first for the Mets since they acquired him from Tampa Bay for cash on July 9.
Maton also became the 10th Mets pitcher to earn a save this season, tying a franchise record.
Jarren Duran had an RBI single in the third for the slumping Red Sox, held to one run for the third game in a row. Boston is 4 1/2 games back of Kansas City for the third AL wild card.
Brayan Bello (12-7) gave up four runs and seven hits in five innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: SS Trevor Story (dislocated left shoulder) went 0 for 3 with Triple-A Worcester in his second rehab game.
Mets: DH J.D. Martinez was placed on the paternity list. OF DJ Stewart was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse and went 1 for 3 in his first major league action since July 27. … RHP Kodai Senga (left calf strain) is close to throwing off a mound and said he hopes to return to the Mets when he is eligible to come off the 60-day injured list on Sept. 25. Senga, who has made all 30 of his big league appearances as a starter, said he’d be open to pitching out of the bullpen.
UP NEXT
Red Sox RHP Kutter Crawford (8-12, 4.12 ERA) is scheduled to face Mets LHP David Peterson (8-1, 2.83) in the middle game of the series Tuesday night.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Jerry Beach, The Associated Press