Edwin Diaz probably won’t be available to save a potential win for Jonah Tong on Saturday night.
But at least the All-Star closer’s eventful outing Friday night ensured the weekend will not be disastrous for the New York Mets.
Tong will make his second career start Saturday, when the visiting Mets will look to lock up a series win as they visit the Cincinnati Reds in the middle game of a three-game set.
Tong (1-0, 1.80 ERA) is slated to start against fellow right-hander Brady Singer (12-9, 4.08 ERA).
Diaz threw 30 pitches while getting into and out of a bases-loaded, none-out jam in the ninth inning Friday night, when he secured the Mets’ 5-4 victory over the Reds.
The Mets, who received 2 2/3 scoreless innings from Ryne Stanek, Brooks Raley and Tyler Rogers in a one-run game, appeared headed for a discouraging loss when Diaz gave up a leadoff single to Ke’Bryan Hayes before walking Matt McLain and TJ Friedl.
Diaz then struck out Noelvi Marte before he had to change his broken front cleat, which was causing him to slip during his delivery. The closer struck out Elly De La Cruz, after which Gavin Lux hit a grounder in between first and second that eluded Pete Alonso.
But second baseman Luisangel Acuna, backing up the play, fielded the ball and threw to Diaz covering the bag to close the latter’s 26th save.
“The funny thing is I was sitting here talking to Rogers when it happened (and) I go, ‘Well, if anybody can get out of this, it’s ‘Sugar,'” Stanek said. “Definitely didn’t make it easy, but it was one hell of a Houdini.”
The win provided a boost to the Mets’ playoff hopes and bought them valuable insurance heading into the final two games of the series, both of which will be started by rookies. Brandon Sproat is scheduled to make his major league debut for New York in Sunday’s finale.
The Mets’ win, coupled with the San Diego Padres’ 3-0 loss to the Colorado Rockies, vaulted New York into a tie with the Padres for the second National League wild-card spot. Both teams are 76-65.
The Mets also stayed four games ahead of the San Francisco Giants and moved six games ahead of the Reds.
The loss continued an untimely slump for Cincinnati, which is an NL-worst 6-13 since Aug. 15. The Reds fell under .500 Friday for the first time since June 7, when they were 32-33.
The Reds’ woes have been marked by the team’s inability to build off fast starts or complete comebacks. Cincinnati has held a lead in nine of its last 13 losses.
The near-comeback Friday was the second of the week for the Reds, who fell behind the Toronto Blue Jays by seven runs in the second inning Tuesday night and pulled within two runs three times before losing 12-9.
“We were battling from behind, and we gave ourselves a chance, but we just can’t get over the hump,” Reds manager Terry Francona said Friday night.
Tong won his big-league debut Aug. 29, when he allowed four runs (one earned) over five innings as the Mets beat the Miami Marlins 19-9. Singer earned the win Sunday after giving up three runs over six innings in the Reds’ 7-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.
Singer won his lone previous start against the Mets on Aug. 3, 2023, when he tossed eight scoreless innings to lead the Kansas City Royals to a 9-2 victory.
–Field Level Media
