Mets move closer to wild-card spot with 4-1 win over Red Sox

NEW YORK (AP) — Luis Severino pitched seven crisp innings, Francisco Lindor sparked New York’s lineup again and the surging Mets crept closer to playoff position by beating the Boston Red Sox 4-1 on Monday night.

Brandon Nimmo hit an RBI double and saved a run with a terrific catch in center field for the Mets, who have won five straight and 12 of 17 to move within a half-game of idle Atlanta for the last National League wild card.

“We’re close to being in that playoff spot,” Severino said. “So from now on, every time they give me the ball, it’s a chance for me to get my team closer to the playoffs.”

Greeted with “MVP! MVP!” chants from a crowd of 35,064 throughout New York’s first home game following a 7-3 trip, Lindor singled twice, scored a run and was plunked by a pitch. His second base hit drove in Luis Torrens to make it 4-1 in the fourth.

“I’m not going to lie — it was pretty cool. I felt it, too, and it was like, wow!” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Looking back to April and here we are, first week of September, and we have 35,000-40,000 people chanting ‘MVP!’ That’s pretty cool.”

Lindor has reached base in a career-high 31 consecutive games and is riding a 13-game hitting streak, his longest of the season. He is batting .305 with 22 homers and 60 RBIs since moving into the leadoff spot on May 18.

“He’s everything you could ask from a player. Just proud to write his name in the lineup every day," Mendoza said.

At 74-64, the Mets are 10 games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2022 season. They were 11 games under .500 on June 2.

“What a story, right?” Mendoza said. “And here we are, playing meaningful games in September.”

Severino (10-6) allowed one run and six hits. He had just two 1-2-3 innings but limited the Red Sox to two hits in nine plate appearances with runners on base.

“We had our chances,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “We didn’t cash in.”

The right-hander struck out five, walked two and threw 66 of his 100 pitches for strikes. He has given up two runs or fewer in five of his nine second-half starts.

Danny Young retired Rafael Devers on a grounder to strand two runners in the eighth. Phil Maton struck out two in a perfect ninth for his fifth career save, third this year and first for the Mets since they acquired him from Tampa Bay for cash on July 9.

Maton also became the 10th Mets pitcher to earn a save this season, tying a franchise record set in 1965 and equaled in 1982.

Jarren Duran had an RBI single in the third for the slumping Red Sox, held to one run for the third game in a row — all losses. Boston is 4 1/2 games back of Kansas City for the third AL wild card.

“We’re not playing well right now,” Cora said. “It’s not going our way right now and we’ve got to show up tomorrow and try to win a game. We’re running out of time, let’s put it that way.”

Brayan Bello (12-7) gave up four runs and seven hits in five innings.

SPIRIT OF ’86

After the public address announcer finished reading Boston's starting lineup, a picture of the Mets’ 1986 World Series banner hanging high above the right-field seats was shown on the scoreboard. The Mets won their most recent title by mounting comebacks to beat the Red Sox in Games 6 and 7 at Shea Stadium.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: SS Trevor Story (dislocated left shoulder) went 0 for 3 with Triple-A Worcester in his second rehab game.

Mets: DH J.D. Martinez was placed on the paternity list. OF DJ Stewart was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse and went 1 for 3 in his first major league action since July 27. … RHP Kodai Senga (left calf strain) is close to throwing off a mound and said he hopes to return to the Mets when he is eligible to come off the 60-day injured list on Sept. 25. Senga, who has made all 30 of his big league appearances as a starter, said he’d be open to pitching out of the bullpen.

UP NEXT

Red Sox RHP Kutter Crawford (8-12, 4.12 ERA) is scheduled to face Mets LHP David Peterson (8-1, 2.83) in the middle game of the series Tuesday night.

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

Boston Red Sox's Brayan Bello pitches against the New York Mets during the first inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New York Mets' DJ Stewart celebrates in the dugout after scoring against the Boston Red Sox during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

Boston Red Sox's Brayan Bello pitches against the New York Mets during the first inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, right, tags out Boston Red Sox' Jarren Duran (16) during the third inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New York Mets' Francisco Lindor, left, and Harrison Bader celebrate after defeating the Boston Red Sox, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New York Mets' Francisco Lindor, left, scores a runs after beating the throw to Boston Red Sox catcher Connor Wong during the third inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New York Mets' Francisco Lindor hits an RBI single against the Boston Red Sox during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New York Mets' Luis Severino pitches against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) reacts after hitting an RBI single against the Boston Red Sox during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New York Mets pitcher Luis Severino tips his cap to fans on his way to the dugout during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

NEW DELHI (AP) — One of India's main opposition figures and New Delhi’s chief minister said he would resign from office Sunday, two days after he was granted bail in a bribery case.

Arvind Kejriwal, a fierce critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was arrested nearly six months ago ahead of national elections on charges of receiving bribes from a liquor distributor. India's top court released him on bail Friday.

Kejriwal has consistently denied the accusations and called them a political conspiracy.

“Today I have come to ask the public whether you consider Kejriwal honest or a criminal," he said in a public address Sunday at the headquarters of his Aam Aadmi Party, which governs New Delhi. “I will resign from the post of chief minister two days from today."

Kejriwal said his party — a part of a broad alliance of opposition parties called INDIA and was the main challenger to Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party in June's elections — will hold a meeting later to decide who will take over his position.

He also demanded the New Delhi elections, scheduled for February next year, be held in November instead.

Opposition parties widely condemned Kejriwal’s arrest. They accused Modi's government of misusing federal investigation agencies to harass and weaken its political opponents. They pointed to several raids, arrests, and corruption investigations of key opposition figures in the months before the elections.

Kejriwal's supporters celebrated his release by lighting firecrackers and dancing in the rain outside his New Delhi residence, with many carrying placards with photos of the popular politician.

Some leaders from Modi's party warned that he was released on bail and not acquitted.

Government agencies have accused Kejriwal’s party and ministers of accepting 1 billion rupees ($12 million) in bribes from a liquor distributor nearly two years ago in return for revising a liquor sales policy in New Delhi, allowing private companies greater profits.

Kejriwal, a former civil servant, launched the Aam Aadmi Party in 2012. He promised to rid the Indian political system and governance of corruption and inefficiency.

The party’s symbol — a broom — and its promise to sweep the administration of graft struck a chord with New Delhi’s residents, fed up with runaway inflation and slow economic growth.

FILE - Aam Aadmi Party leader and Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal, speaks to his followers in the rain as he comes out of Tihar prison after being granted bail by the country's highest court, in New Delhi, India, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup, File)