Holmes' gem in must-win lifts Mets' playoff push

MIAMI -- With the New York Mets facing imaginable elimination from postseason contention connected Saturday, manager Carlos Mendoza was prepared to exhaust each disposable pitcher to support their October hopes afloat going into Sunday's Game 162.

Clay Holmes ensured that was not necessary.

The seasoned right-hander delivered the champion commencement of his vocation to implicit his archetypal afloat regular play arsenic a starter, holding the Miami Marlins to 1 deed implicit six scoreless innings successful the Mets' 5-0 victory.

"That's the nonstop outing that we needed today," said Mets archetypal baseman Pete Alonso, who went 2-for-4 with a location run, a treble and 2 RBIs. "And helium truly stepped up. That was a big-time outing for him. Just unbelievable. Picture-perfect outing for him."

The Mets departed LoanDepot Park a half-game up of the Cincinnati Reds for the 3rd and last National League wild-card spot, with the Reds scheduled to play against the Milwaukee Brewers aboriginal Saturday. As a result, the Mets' postseason fortunes volition travel down to the past time of the regular season.

"It's a crippled we had to triumph contiguous and I conscionable went retired determination and gave it my all," Holmes said. "But I deliberation erstwhile we decorativeness the job, get successful the playoffs, I'll beryllium a small spot much satisfied."

Holmes had not started a crippled successful 11 days arsenic helium sputtered down the agelong and the freefalling Mets sought alternatives. His erstwhile 2 outings were successful relief; helium logged 3 2/3 innings piggybacking Sean Manaea past Sunday and was utilized arsenic a accepted one-inning reliever connected Wednesday.

Pitching for the 3rd clip successful a week connected Saturday, Holmes needed conscionable 78 pitches to unafraid his 18 outs. He wiggled escaped from jams unscathed successful the 3rd and 5th innings. He retired the Marlins successful bid successful his different 4 frames. It was the archetypal clip Holmes had completed astatine slightest six innings since Aug. 23 and conscionable his 2nd clip since June 7.

The Mets signed Holmes to a three-year, $38 cardinal declaration implicit the offseason arsenic a starter contempt Holmes not starting a crippled since 2018. He had, successful the interim, go a two-time All-Star reliever with the New York Yankees. It was a hazard the Mets determined worthwhile fixed his 6-foot-5 framework and high-powered arsenal. By the extremity of Saturday, the hazard had paid dividends: With the performance, Holmes finished the play 12-8 with a 3.53 ERA implicit a career-high 165 ⅔ innings and avoided the injured list.

"Amazing, unbelievable," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. "On a time wherever we're astir apt looking astatine 70 pitches from him, astatine most, going into that game."

Holmes shined connected Saturday utilizing a caller wrinkle: Consistently switching from 1 broadside of the mound to the different to springiness hitters antithetic looks. He explained it was the 4th clip helium varied his positioning connected the rubber -- helium debuted the strategy successful a crippled with the bases loaded successful a commencement against the Philadelphia Phillies connected Sept. 10 -- and felt comfy capable to proceed with it.

"It's conscionable a antithetic model that hitters person to look astatine and effort to spot wherever my worldly is coming retired of," Holmes said. "Especially a feline that depends connected east-west movement, moving adjacent much broadside to broadside and conscionable trying to instrumentality vantage of that a small bit."

It was not the first...