DENVER — Francisco Lindor didn’t waste a second after loading the bases in the bottom of the ninth inning Wednesday night.
The Mets shortstop had just seen Tyrone Taylor walk on five pitches and knew Victor Vodnick didn’t want to get behind him in the count.
Lindor saw a slider on the first pitch and hit a liner to left field, giving the Mets a chance to catch their breath after holding their breath for so long in the thin mountain air.
Lindor’s two-run single led the Mets to a 5-3 victory over the Rockies at Coors Field.
The Mets (60-54) needed the win to keep alive their hopes of winning the series against a brutal Rockies team that fell 31 games below .500 with the loss.
Jesse Winker hit a one-run single in the bottom of the ninth to give Edwin Diaz some breathing room, who allowed one run in the bottom of the inning but still secured the save.
The Mets went 3-3 on their four-city tour.
“We’ve put ourselves in position to compete for a playoff spot, and if we win, our chances will continue,” Lindor said, as the Mets are within a half-game of Atlanta for the third wild card spot in the National League. “We’ve got a tough road trip and we’ve just got to find a way to play a little better.”
The Mets came to bat in the ninth inning and ran out of steam offensively, with leadoff hitter Francisco Alvarez hitting a triple that hit the right field scoreboard before Ben Gamel was walked to reach base.
Taylor walked to load the bases, and then Lindor delivered the latest big hit of his best season since joining the Mets.
“Bases loaded. [Vodnik] “You’ve got to throw strikes,” Lindor said.[Tuesday] He rescued me, and today was my turn.”
Lindor swung too long in his last at-bat.
The concept was discussed between the manager and shortstop when Lindor returned to the dugout.
“You take advantage of everything you’re given, use the whole field,” Mendoza said of Lindor’s approach to winning. “Especially in this stadium, you’re going to go after the stands, and he did that in his last at-bat.”
Jose Butt, the Mets’ most reliable reliever, pitched two scoreless innings in relief behind Paul Blackburn, giving the Mets a chance.
Blackburn is off to a strong start to his Mets career for the second straight year.
The right-hander went six innings, allowing just two runs (one of which was earned) on five hits, two walks and six strikeouts.
Blackburn, acquired from Oakland at the trade deadline, gave up just one run over six innings in his Mets debut last Friday.
Blackburn threw 93 pitches that night (his third start since coming off the disabled list due to a stress reaction in his right foot) and capped his performance with a spectacular performance after the sixth inning, striking out Elias Diaz and sending the winning run to first base.
Pete Alonso, who entered the game batting just .198 with runners in scoring position, hit a one-run single in the first inning to score the first run of the game.
Lindor singled as the leadoff hitter of the game, stole second base to record 18 consecutive stolen bases, and then Alonso scored with two outs.
Alonso also stole second base, but was stranded after being intercepted by Jeff McNeil.
Ezekiel Tovar brought one back with a home run in the bottom of the inning, his hit to right-center field came over the fence and ricocheted over it.
The home run was the first Blackburn had allowed in a Mets uniform, but it was his third in as many games.
Noah Davis took over for starter Ryan Feltner in the second inning.
The Mets got some offense out of Davis, allowing three singles in the inning.
Jose Iglesias singled as leadoff hitter and advanced to third base on a single by Gamel, but continued to run and scored after center fielder Brenton Doyle kicked the ball out.
Lindor reached base on a fielder’s choice and attempted to steal second base to end the inning but was out.
In the fourth inning, Kris Bryant hit an infield single to tie the game at 2-2.
Brendan Rodgers led off the innings with a double, advanced to third on a passed ball by Alvarez and then scored on a squeeze play by Bryant down the third base line.
