Marte the hero as Mets walk off for Wild victory

NEW YORK -- The Mets found themselves needing to adjust to a new, unfamiliar reality on Monday night -- and quickly. Though Francisco Lindor’s MRI on his lower back showed no structural damage (unequivocally good news for him and New York), the National League MVP candidate will miss at least a couple of games to let his pain return to a manageable level.

That means there is a nearly impossible void to fill at shortstop and at the top of the lineup. But in the throes of an NL Wild Card race, the club understands that there’s no use in lamenting the situation -- there are games to win.

“We’ve got good players, and they continue to find a way,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We got some guys with experience. Overall, playing winning baseball, just having that understanding when to execute, what to do with the baseball [with] what the situation calls.”

Those guys with experience came through when the Mets needed it most on Monday night at Citi Field. After seven innings of quiet offense against starter Jake Irvin, New York broke through against the Nats’ bullpen to steal a 2-1 win in the opener, thanks to Starling Marte’s walk-off single in the 10th inning. Jose Iglesias, who started at shortstop and hit from the leadoff spot, came through with the game-tying RBI infield single in the eighth inning with two outs.

The Mets took control of the third and final NL Wild Card spot, moving one game ahead of the Braves, who lost in a blowout to the Dodgers. The Mets also crept up to one game back of the D-backs, who lost to the Rockies, for the second spot. And as much as teams preach to focus on what they can control, the goings-on of their fellow contenders does rest in the Mets’ minds, even if it manifests in a little scoreboard watching.

“I mean, I definitely was,” starter Sean Manaea admitted.

Manaea -- who is third among NL pitchers with at least 60 innings since June 14 in WHIP (0.93), opposing average (.173) and opposing OPS (.552) -- continued his run of brilliance. The lefty tossed seven innings, with the sole blemish occurring on a José Tena RBI single in the fourth inning, allowing just four hits and one walk while striking out six batters.

And on a night when the Mets’ offense struggled to get out of the gates against Irvin, Manaea’s effectiveness was worth its weight in gold, keeping New York in the game. Forcing soft contact (average exit velocity of 83.7 mph vs. the Nats, per Statcast) and providing length (his last seven outings have all lasted at least 6 2/3 innings) has allowed Manaea to morph into an ace for New York at the perfect time.

“The last month, month and a half, it’s been unbelievable,” reliever Reed Garrett said. “Sean’s been a dog. Taking the ball, you can almost count on him going seven or eight [innings] every start.”

Iglesias, who will likely split time with No. 12 Mets prospect Luisangel Acuña at shortstop in Lindor’s absence, continued to be a more than capable presence in the middle of the infield. On his RBI single in the eighth, he improved to 11-for-23 (.478) with runners in scoring position and two outs this season. And in the third inning, he and second baseman Eddy Alvarez saved a run on a nifty near-double play up the middle.

“That almost-double play that they made was one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen on the field,” Manaea said. “Not having Frankie is definitely a loss, but those guys definitely stepped up. It’s a huge, huge thing.”

Mendoza mentioned it pregame, but that theme of needing all 28 guys to contribute if they want to complete this postseason push looms heavy, especially with Lindor sidelined for a brief spell.

It happened on Monday night: Acuña (who entered as a defensive replacement in the ninth) made two routine, yet crucial, plays to help Garrett strand the automatic runner in the top of the 10th -- one with the infield in and one out, the other ranging up the middle to throw out the speedy Jacob Young at first. Marte, who fell short in his pinch-hit, game-tying chance in the eighth, pulled off a professional at-bat in the 10th while battling a bruised left forearm to send the Mets home happy.

They understand the momentary loss of their leader is untimely, but the Mets feel that they are more than prepared to carry the load in his absence -- much like he has for them.

“We have to do our job because [Lindor’s] been putting the team on his shoulders,” Marte said via interpreter Alan Suriel. “It’s important for us to go out there each and every single day to carry the team to the point [where] when he comes back, we’re in a better position.”