New York, N.Y. – The international spotlight was flavored on Wednesday night in Flushing with the Bolivarian region starting pitchers from Venezuela and Colombia clashing in an epic battle between National League East Division Rival foes.
Venezuelan, Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Ranger Suarez and Colombian, New York Mets starting pitcher Jose Quintana battled out in front of 44,103 fans in attendance at Citi Field in Game Four of the National League Division Series.
The Mets beat the Phillies 4-1 and clinched at Citi Field for the first time since the ballpark opened in 2009 during the best-of-five series.
The Mets will wait to play either the Los Angeles Dodgers or the San Diego Padres on the road in Game One of the National League Championship Series on October 13. Game One of the NLCS will be televised on Fox Sports 1 at 8 p.m. EDT on Sunday, October 13.
On Wednesday night, the Phillies’ offense was 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base during their Game Four loss.
Quintana threw five innings, allowing two hits, no earned runs, and two walks, and struck out six batters on Wednesday night before being pulled in the top of the sixth inning from manager Carlos Mendoza and assigning relief pitcher Reed Garret to come out of the bullpen after giving up a leadoff double to Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper.
Quintana creased 90 pitches with 48 strikes during Wednesday’s berth to the NLCS.
Before Quintana’s start in game four, he allowed two runs or fewer in four of his five career postseason starts.
In his two starts that were both no decisions in the 2024 postseason, Quintana threw 11 innings, striking out 11 batters and eclipsing a 0.82 WHIP after he started in 31 games during the 2024 regular season.
SNY reporter Steve Gelbs spoke to Quintana during the post-game and talked about his success in pitching in two clinching games in the 2024 postseason.
“It was a rough game and a battle with the Phillies tough lineup and always a good challenge to go up against them. It means a lot for the organization, and being around this group means a lot for me with being excited for the opportunity,” Quintana told Gelbs during the postgame celebration on the field.
Quintana, 35, was born in Arjona, Bolivar, Colombia, and his lone All-Star appearance came in 2016 during his 13-year Major League Baseball Career.
Quintana has played with the Chicago White Sox from 2012-17, the Chicago Cubs from 2017-20, the Los Angeles Angels in 2021, the San Francisco Giants in 2021, the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2022, and the St. Louis Cardinals in 2022 before signing with the Mets on December 9, 2022, for a two-year, $26 million contract.
Suarez, 29, was born in Pies de Cuesta, Venezuela, and was selected to his first All-Star Game in 2024 during his seventh season in Philadelphia.
On Wednesday night, Suarez threw 4.1 innings while allowing five hits, no earned runs, four walks, and eight strikeouts before being taken out of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning, with manager Rob Thompson calling upon relief pitcher Jeff Hoffman.
Suarez chucked 97 pitches with 58 strikes during Wednesday’s loss.
Quintana began the game in the top of the first inning, striking out Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, swinging on a 78.4 mph slurve on the outer part of the plate prior to putting the Philadelphia offense at bay the rest of the way.
Suarez struck out Lindor from the first batter he faced in the bottom of the first inning on a 76.1 mph curveball inside.
Suarez lingered into some trouble during the early part of the game. In the bottom of the second inning, he walked Mets right fielder Starling Marte to lead off the inning. Then he gave up a single to center fielder Tyrone Taylor before a few batters after he eventually got left fielder Brandon Nimmo to ground out to Harper for the final out of the inning to keep it at no score.
Quintana kept his composure in the top of the third inning and retired the side in order 1-2-3 with getting Phillies left fielder Weston Wilson to fly out to Marte, having center fielder Brandon Marsh ground out Mets first baseman Pete Alonso and striking out Schwarber on an 85.3 mph changeup on the outer half of the plate.
The Phillies plated their first run of the game in the top of the fourth inning after Quintana walked Harper as the second batter of the inning and gave up a double to right fielder Nick Castellanos to make it second and third with one out.
The next batter, Philadelphia third baseman Alec Bohm, hit a slow chopper to Mets third baseman Mark Vientos. Vientos hesitated on throwing to catcher Francisco Alvarez to try and get Harper out at the plate instead mishandled the baseball, and Bohm reached first base safely with the Phillies only run on Wednesday night.
Vientos was charged with an error and for Quintana to keep his earned run average at bay during the 2024 postseason.
The Mets began to put runs on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning, starting with designated hitter J.D. Martinez singling on a ground ball to center field to lead off the inning.
Hoffman was later pulled from the inning after he let three runners on base and, had Alvarez ground out to shortstop Trea Turner and threw out Martinez at the plate for the force and first out of the bottom of the sixth inning.
Thompson called on relief pitcher Carlos Estevez to replace Jeff Hoffman.
Hoffman was the losing pitcher on Wednesday and threw one inning, allowing one hit, three hits, three earned runs, one walk, and one strikeout.
A few moments later, Estevez faced Lindor as his first batter of the game, and the limelight was captured by the Puerto Rican shortstop.
Lindor cranked Estevez’s 99.4 mph four-seam fastball on a 2-1 count and drove the baseball 398 feet over the center field wall for a grand slam, scoring Marte, Taylor, and Alvarez to help the Mets capture a 4-1 lead.
“It was crazy when Lindor hit that ball. He’s amazing and he’s an MVP with his preparation and being the right guy to do that in the moment,” Quintana said Gelbs on the postgame field celebration.
The Mets bullpen the rest of the way between Garrett, David Peterson, and Edwin Diaz combined for throwing four innings, allowing two hits, three walks, and five strikeouts during Wednesday’s win.
Peterson recorded the win on Wednesday while chucking two innings, allowing two hits, no earned runs, and one strikeout prior to Diaz entering the top of the ninth inning.
Diaz walked Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto to lead off the top of the ninth inning and second baseman Bryson Stott as the second batter prior to pinch hitter Kody Clemens coming up to the plate to replace left fielder Weston Wilson.
Diaz got Clemens to strike out swinging and retired Marsh flying out to center fielder Harrison Bader for the second out of the inning prior to Schwarber coming up with the tying run at the plate.
Diaz got Schwarber to strikeout for the third time on Wednesday night with a 101.1 mph four-seam fastball to end the game to beat the Phillies 4-1 and advance to the NLCS with the team rushing out of the bullpen and dugout to celebrate their first home playoff-clinching game at Citi Field.
“The atmosphere of the fans met a lot for us playing in front of them the last two games and having more energy to keep going for us in the next round. This round was impressive for us and we always trust with the group we have here from the beginning of the season and to enjoy this moment winning at home,” Quintana’s last words to Gelbs on Wednesday night.
Mendoza in his first season with the Mets, is one of the last-two remaining international-born managers that are left with their ballclubs in the 2024 MLB postseason with Dodger’s manager Dave Roberts going into Game 5 on October 11 against Mike Shildt’s San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium on Fox Sports 1 at 8 p.m. EDT.
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