Edwin Diaz, Luisangel Acuna Save Mets in Win Over Reds

The New York Mets held off a furious ninth-inning rally by the Cincinnati Reds to secure a nail-biting 5-4 victory at Great American Ball Park. But the drama wasn’t just about the scoreline.

In a bizarre twist, closer Edwin Díaz nearly blew the game after his cleat broke mid-inning. He had to scramble for an equipment change before finally sealing the win.

The Mets, fighting for their playoff lives, somehow survived the chaos. This wild finish gave fans one of the stranger late-game scenes in recent memory.

A Broken Cleat and a Shaky Ninth Inning

Baseball’s full of weird moments, but you don’t see a lost shoe spike threaten a Major League game every day. Díaz entered the ninth with a 5-4 lead and immediately ran into trouble, giving up a leadoff single and then back-to-back walks.

He kept slipping on the mound. Suddenly, everyone realized what was wrong — the front spike of his cleat had snapped right off.

The Mid-Inning Shoe Change

With the bases loaded and nobody out, Díaz swapped shoes on the mound. The whole thing looked surreal, especially with so much on the line.

The pause seemed to help him catch his breath. He struck out electric Reds infielder Elly De La Cruz for the first out, and you could feel the momentum shift.

But the tension didn’t let up. Gavin Lux nearly tied the game with a sharp liner that hooked just foul.

On the very next pitch, Lux ripped a hard grounder past Pete Alonso at first. Luisangel Acuña dove, made a stunning stop, and fired to Díaz covering first for the final out.

Somehow, they held on.

Offense Opens the Door

Before the late-inning chaos, the Mets’ offense did its part. They built a 5-1 lead with timely hitting and contributions up and down the lineup.

Key Contributions at the Plate

• Juan Soto — RBI double in the third inning to get things started.
• Mark Vientos — launched a home run and drove in two, adding some much-needed pop.
• Francisco Lindor — crossed the plate twice, showing off his aggressive baserunning.

It looked like the bats had provided enough cushion for the pitching staff. But things nearly unraveled down the stretch.

Reds Mount a Late Rally

The Cincinnati Reds didn’t fold, especially not at home. Starter David Peterson gave the Mets 5 1/3 innings but allowed four runs, letting the Reds back in it.

Reliever Ryne Stanek entered in the sixth and stranded the bases loaded. That moment probably saved the day, honestly.

Offensive Sparks for Cincinnati

• Tyler Stephenson — ripped a two-run double to cut the deficit.
• Ke’Bryan Hayes — lifted a sacrifice fly that brought the Reds within a run.

The Reds made it interesting, but Díaz’s gritty recovery after the shoe fiasco kept them from finishing the comeback.

Playoff Implications and Díaz’s Redemption

The emotional win moved the Mets to 76-65, tying them with the San Diego Padres for the second National League wild-card spot. For the Reds, the loss dropped them six games back — a brutal blow to their playoff hopes.

Lessons from Last Year

Díaz made an intriguing admission after the game. He remembered a mistake in last year’s wild-card clincher that might’ve cost the Mets in the postseason.

This time, he refused to let history repeat itself. After the cleat incident, he locked in and delivered when it mattered most.

His ability to refocus under bizarre and extreme conditions stands out. Honestly, that skill might be as valuable as any save he’s recorded this season.

In a playoff race where every pitch counts, the Mets managed to survive a tense road test. They showed the kind of resilience you need to push through adversity—even when it shows up as a broken cleat.

 
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