After declaring every remaining series this season to be a “must-win” series, Luis Severino pitched brilliantly again to lead the Mets to their fifth straight victory, 4-1, against the Red Sox at Citi Field.
It was exactly what the Mets needed as they began a crucial six-game home series in which they are trying to catch the Braves for the final National League wild-card spot.
With Atlanta off on Monday, the Mets moved to within a half-game of the Braves, who host Colorado on Tuesday.
The win came in front of a home crowd of 35,149, the largest attendance without fan gifts since the Mets hosted the Yankees in a Subway Series game on June 26.
He was shaky in his start on Wednesday at Arizona, where he was hit by a line drive off his right leg, but pitched well on Monday, helping the Mets win six of their last seven games and reach their best winning percentage of the season with 10 games over .500 (74-64).
Severino allowed just one run over seven innings, and Francisco Lindor was once again solid at the plate, reaching base three times and scoring one run and scoring one RBI.
Left-hander Danny Young took over for Severino in the eighth inning and got Rafael Devers to ground out to end the inning with runners on second and third, avoiding any late-inning drama.
With closer Edwin Diaz having pitched four of the past five days, Phil Mutton closed out the ninth inning for his first save of the year.
Severino threw 100 pitches, allowing six hits and two walks.
He completed an easy first inning with eight pitches and struggled a bit in the second inning.
After Triston Casas' one-out single, Masataka Yoshida walked, but Severino got Connor Wong to ground out to a double play.
The Mets took the lead in the bottom of the inning when Jose Iglesias singled to center field and Jeff McNeil hit a hard grounder that went past Casas at first base and down the right field line to advance to third base.
Starling Marte got Iglesias home on a double play, then DJ Stewart grounded out for the out.
In the third inning, Brandon Nimmo made a diving catch of Sedan Raffaella's liner in center field, but with one out, the runner was on third.
Jarren Duran then singled through the infield to tie the game.
Nimmo doubled to center field in the bottom of the third, bringing Lindor to first base and putting the Mets back in the lead.
Duran took the wrong route for the ball that landed over his head.
The Mets added two more runs with two outs in the fourth inning.
Stewart, who was named to the roster and batting lineup because J.D. Martinez was placed on the paternity list, singled with two outs in the fourth inning, then Luis Torrens doubled to left field and scored when Tyler O'Neill fumbled the ball along the line.
The Mets added another run when Lindor singled to second base by Torrens, making the score 4–1.
