NEW YORK (AP) — Francisco Lindor hit a grand slam in the sixth inning, his final clutch swing in an extraordinary season, and the New York Mets reached the National League Championship Series with a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday .
Edwin Díaz retired Kyle Schwarber with two runners aboard to end it as New York shut down the rival Phillies in Game 4 of their best-of-five Division Series, winning 3-1 to make its first postseason appearance ‘ series to complete at home. in 24 years.
Immediately following was the first champagne-soaked clinching party in Citi Field’s 16-season history in a raucous clubhouse.
After three days of rest, New York opens the best-of-seven NLCS on Sunday at the San Diego Padres or Los Angeles Dodgers. San Diego held a 2-1 lead in their NLDS heading into Game 4 on Wednesday night.
For the NL East champion Phillies, who won 95 games and finished ahead of the wild-card Mets six times during the regular season, it was an acrimonious exit early in the playoffs and a disappointing step back after they advanced to the 2022 World Series and then lost Games 6 and 7 of the 2023 NLCS at home to Arizona.
After falling short again in October, Bryce Harper and the Phillies are still looking for the franchise’s third championship.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
