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.