Vientos climbing Mets' all-time ranks with Game 4 homer
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NEW YORK -- Mets third baseman Mark Vientos is no stranger to the big stage.
As a 15-year-old, Vientos played one of his best games in front of 20,000 fans for Team USA in Mexico. Whether it be travel ball, high school or the Majors, one thing hasn’t changed: He thrives under the spotlight.
This postseason’s breakout star continued to hit in the Mets’ 10-2 loss to the Dodgers in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series on Thursday night at Citi Field.
Vientos answered Shohei Ohtani’s leadoff blast with a solo shot of his own in the first inning to match the Mets’ franchise record for RBIs (12) in a single postseason, tying Curtis Granderson (2015) and John Olerud (1999). Vientos' 12 RBIs are also tied for the fourth most in a career in franchise history, trailing only Edgardo Alfonso (17), Gary Carter (15) and David Wright (13).
“It's crazy,” Vientos said. “I'm lost for words. To just be next to greats like that, it's insane, honestly.”
As for Vientos' four home runs this postseason, that's tied with Mike Piazza, Carlos Delgado and Rusty Staub for the second-most homers in a single postseason by a Met. Daniel Murphy holds the record with seven homers in the 2015 postseason. New York was 14-10 during the regular season when Vientos went deep, but the club is just 1-2 when he's done so in the postseason.
The 24-year-old Vientos crushed Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s 95.1 mph four-seamer over the heart of the plate, sending it over the right-center-field wall. The ball had an exit velocity of 106 mph and traveled a Statcast-projected 397 feet.
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It was the second homer of the NLCS for Vientos, whose second-inning grand slam in Game 2 gave the Mets an early lead they never relinquished.
“It was awesome to do it right after he did it,” Vientos said of following up Ohtani's leadoff blast. “Just try to get the mojo going. Unfortunately, we didn't come out with the win. But the moment was cool.”
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Vientos' four homers are tied with Fernando Tatis Jr. for the most by any player this postseason, while his 12 RBIs lead all players.
With his single in the ninth, Vientos -- who has a 1.070 OPS this postseason -- tallied his seventh multihit game, the most by a Met in a single postseason. It also tied the most multihit postseason games overall in franchise history, matching the mark held by Cleon Jones and Alfonzo.