Quintana gets 100th win as Mets blank Reds 4-0 for 9th straight victory

NEW YORK -- — Jose Quintana earned his 100th career win with 6 2/3 sharp innings as the surging New York Mets extended their longest winning streak in more than six years Saturday with a 4-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

A slumping Harrison Bader homered to spark a four-run sixth for the Mets, who have won nine straight games for the first time since April 2018.

“I didn’t realize it was nine straight — that’s awesome,” Bader said. “I think that’s kind of where we’re at, just so zoomed in and just so focused. Once it’s done, it’s on to the next.”

New York moved a game ahead of rival Atlanta for the final NL playoff berth, a half-game behind Arizona for the league's second wild card. The Mets haven't trailed in their last 72 innings since Aug. 30 — the longest streak in the majors this season.

Bader was mired in skids of 0 for 15 and 2 for 43 before connecting off Sam Moll (3-2) in the sixth. It was Bader’s 11th home run of the year, and first to the opposite field.

Bader extended his arms wide and pointed toward right field as he rounded the bases.

“Obviously, it’s been a tough sample size here for me individually,” Bader said. “I think it was certainly a second of just relief, because at the end of the day, it just comes down to just wanting to produce so intently for your team, you know what I mean? Especially what we’ve got going on here, with playing meaningful baseball in September.”

Pete Alonso hit a one-out RBI single and J.D. Martinez laced a two-run double with two outs. New York has outscored its opponents 44-16 during the winning streak.

Francisco Lindor’s career-high 16-game hitting streak ended as he went 0 for 3, but his sixth-inning walk pushed his on-base streak to 35 games, the longest active run in the majors and the longest single-season streak in Mets history.

Quintana (8-9) allowed five hits and struck out six in becoming the 19th active pitcher to reach 100 wins.

“Nowadays, where guys are coming out and throwing as hard as they can and spinning as hard as they can, this guy’s pitching,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He’s got to locate, he’s got to mix pitches, he’s got to change speeds — old-school type, if you want to call it, and he continues to do it.”

Quintana, the first native of Colombia to win 100 major league games, threw exactly 100 pitches and has a 0.50 ERA in his last three starts.

“I have a lot of emotions,” Quintana said. “Means a lot. I can’t wait to see my family and say thank you for all the support they’ve given me.”

Adam Ottavino, Danny Young and Edwin Díaz completed the six-hitter for New York’s seventh shutout this season — all since July 11.

Jakob Junis, making his second start for the Reds since he was acquired from Milwaukee on July 30, allowed one hit — a fifth-inning double by Jose Iglesias — over five innings. It was Junis’ longest big league appearance since he threw 5 1/3 innings of relief for San Francisco on Sept. 25, 2022.

Junis has a 3.24 ERA in 11 appearances for Cincinnati and a 2.82 ERA in 21 games overall.

“He can pitch,” Reds manager David Bell said. “Did a lot with his slider today. He’s got a good sinker-slider, but he mixes in a four-seam fastball to keep guys honest. He’s pitched really well for us.”

The start of the game was delayed 66 minutes by rain.

IT TAKES TWO

The Mets’ new double-play combination of Iglesias and Lindor turned a pair of impressive double plays. Iglesias, who will be the Mets’ everyday second baseman going forward with Jeff McNeil sidelined, made a diving stop to rob Ty France of a hit to begin a 4-6-3 double play in the second. Lindor started a 6-4-3 double play by ranging into the hole on Jonathan India’s grounder in the third.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: RHP Hunter Greene (right elbow) could return to the active roster after two live batting practice sessions, the first of which is scheduled for Tuesday. … LHP Andrew Abbott (shoulder) is continuing to throw in hopes of returning to Cincinnati’s rotation before the season ends.

Mets: McNeil (right wrist) will miss the rest of the regular season after an MRI revealed a small fracture. He was hit by a 74 mph curveball from Brandon Williamson on Friday night. McNeil isn’t expected to need surgery. He and Mendoza said it was possible McNeil could return in October if the Mets make a deep playoff run. He will be placed on the injured list Sunday. … RHP Kodai Senga (left calf strain) threw his second bullpen.

UP NEXT

The three-game series concludes Sunday, when Mets RHP Luis Severino (10-6, 3.84 ERA) opposes Reds RHP Julian Aguiar (1-0, 6.48).

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb