Mets Clinch Top Wild Card Slot with Win over Phils

The Mets clinched the top Wild card slot Saturday with a win over the Phillies, which means they will be hosting the Wild Card game Wednesday night at Citi Field.

The game was scoreless until the fourth, when the Mets mounted a two-out rally. Curtis Granderson doubled, and on a 3-2 pitch, the Phillies chose to intentionally walk the red-hot Jay Bruce. It didn’t work as T.J. Rivera singled to plate Granderson to make it 1-0.

With a runner on second with one out in the fifth, Jose Reyes singled to make it a 2-0 game.

But Ryan Howard, playing his final games with the Phillies, couldn’t go away without cementing his reputation as a Mets killer. He hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game at two.

But in the sixth it was James Loney with a two-run homer of his own (and an impressive bat flip) to regain the lead for the Mets, 4-2.

Bartolo Colon was pulled after five innings and just 61 pitches. He allowed two runs on five hits, with six strikeouts and no walks. He finished the season with a record of 15-8 and a 3.43 ERA. Not bad for a 73-year-old pitcher.

With runners on first and third with two outs in the sixth, Yoenis Cespedes made a nice catch on a sinking liner to end the inning and keep the Mets up two runs.

But Cespedes could not catch a Darin Ruf shot that he hit into the seats in left in the seventh as the Phillies closed to within 4-3.

The Mets added a tremendous insurance run in the ninth, With runners on first and second with two outs, Asdrubal Cabrera fisted one over the second baseman to make it 5-3. With runners on first and third, Cespedes struck out to end the inning. He also got ejected for arguing the call.

Jeurys Familia came on for the ninth to nail down the game.

Mets win 5-3. It’s onto the postseason for the second year in a row, just the second time in franchise history they’ve made back-to-back playoff appearances (1999-2000).