NEW YORK (AP) — Pinch-hitter Daniel Vogelbach had a three-run double in the seventh inning, and the New York Mets hurt Cincinnati’s wild-card chances with an 8-4 victory on Sunday over the sloppy Reds.
Cincinnati (78-73) dropped a half-game behind Miami and Arizona for the NL’s final Wild Card berth. The Diamondbacks play later on Sunday.
Third baseman Noelvi Marte, first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand, and pitcher Carson Spiers made errors for the Reds. Cincinnati allowed a pair of unearned runs against the Mets (69-80), who avoided a three-game sweep.
José Quintana (3-5) allowed two runs and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings.
Noelvi Marte put Cincinnati ahead with an RBI single in the first. Francisco Álvarez hit a two-run double in the second when the Mets also got a run-scoring wild pitch from Brandon Williamson (4-5).
Nick Senzel homered in the fifth, cutting the Reds’ deficit to 3-2, but Encarnacion-Strand’s error in the bottom half led to an RBI single by Mark Vientos, who had a career-high three hits.
After Spiers’ throwing error on Vientos’ comebacker wasted a double-play opportunity, Vogelbach’s double to the base of the center-field wall and Ronny Mauricio’s RBI single put the Mets ahead 8-2.
Encarnacion-Strand hit a two-run homer in the eighth off Jeff Brigham, his eighth home run this season.
Williamson gave up three runs in four innings.
