CHICAGO – The Mets received a needed infusion of bullpen arms before the trade deadline, but the left-handed bat they acquired has resonated the loudest lately.
Jesse Winker’s production transforms him from a nice extra piece to a key member of a lineup that has been searching for a hero.
Saturday night, the veteran outfielder had his third straight game, which included a homer, in helping the Mets to their third straight victory, 5-3 over the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field.
The Mets will open September a season-high eight games above .500 and two games behind Atlanta for the National League’s third wild card.
The Mets will look to complete the series sweep Sunday, when they will complete a 10-game road trip through three cities.
To this point the Mets are 6-3 on the trip, including a tough series victory in Arizona.
The White Sox, who remain on pace to obliterate the 1962 Mets record for futility – a crew that lost 120 games – matched the franchise record (which was established in 1970) – by losing for the 106th time this season. Saturday’s loss was the team’s 39th in 43 games.
Winker on Friday went 3-for-3 with two RBIs.
Over the last three games he’s 8-for-11 (.720), which includes a double that led to the Mets scoring the go-ahead goal in the ninth inning of victory over Arizona on Saturday.
Jose Quintana survived five innings giving up two runs, one unearned, on six hits and three walks with three strikeouts.
The left-hander had plenty of traffic on the bases over the first three innings and got off 98 pitches while finishing the fifth.
It followed a more efficient outing Sunday in San Diego in which Quintana pitched 6 ¹/₃ scoreless innings before Jose Butto and Edwin Diaz made it 2-0.
Pete Alonso hit homer No. 1 on this night.
Mark Vientos’ two out single started the rally and Alonso pounced on a hanging breaking ball from Davis Martin for his third homer in five games.
Winker followed with a blast to give the Mets back-to-back homers for the fifth time on the year. Homer Winker is number two in a Mets uniform.
Quintana allowed consecutive singles to Korey Lee and Lenyn Sosa to start the second inning before Miguel Vargas’ fielder’s choice pulled the White Sox within 3-1.
Jake Amaya followed with a walk to load the bases, but Quintana struck out Corey Julks and Luis Robert Jr.
Winker’s RBI single in the third opened the Mets lead to 4-1.
Francisco Lindor’s leadoff single and Brandon Nimmo’s walk led to an inning before Winker was dispatched with two outs, giving him a multi-hit performance for the third straight day.
Francisco Alvarez’s passed ball helped the White Sox score an unearned run in the third to pull within 4-2.
Quintana allowed a leadoff single to Andrew Benintendi, who took second on a ball past Alvarez. Gavin Sheets’ single brought in a run.
Starling Marte’s RBI single in the sixth extended the Mets’ lead to 5-2. Alonso and Winker singled in succession in the inning before Marte knocked in a run.
Huascar Brazoban, Ryne Stanek and Phil Maton combined for three innings of scoreless relief behind Quintana before Butto allowed a run in the ninth.
