CINCINNATI -- Edwin Díaz was five batters into the ninth inning Friday night when he figured out what was amiss.
The frontmost spike on Díaz’s right cleat had dislodged, causing the Mets’ closer to slip repeatedly on the mound. Meanwhile, the bases were loaded in a one-run game between National League Wild Card contenders. Drama was high. In the midst of all that, Díaz called for help, stopping play right as the action was peaking.
For the next several minutes, thousands of fans at Great American Ball Park watched Mets bat boy Jason Pastuizaca sprint onto the field with a new pair of spikes for Díaz, who swapped shoes in front of the mound. Once he finished lacing up his new kicks, Díaz froze Elly De La Cruz with a 99 mph fastball and retired Gavin Lux on a chaotic final play to nail down the save in New York’s 5-4 win over the Reds.
The victory increased New York’s margin over the Reds (70-71) to six games with 21 to play for both teams. The Mets (76-65) remained four up on the Giants (72-69) for the final NL Wild Card spot while pulling even with the Padres (76-65) for the second spot.
“I’ve been in that situation before,” Díaz said. “I know I’ve got two choices: win the game or lose the game. So I made the right choice: win the game.”
While Díaz is indeed no stranger to high-leverage spots, he has never previously needed a wardrobe change in the middle of a save chance. Although he couldn’t quite say when the metal spike broke off his cleat, Díaz felt like he was slipping on the mound for much of a ninth inning that saw him allow a leadoff single and two walks, all with no outs.
After rebounding to strike out Noelvi Marte, Díaz ran a 1-2 count on De La Cruz before finally calling for help.
As umpire Nick Mahrley, catcher Francisco Alvarez and several Mets infielders watched in various stages of disbelief, Díaz removed both shoes, laced up the new ones and threw a single warmup pitch amidst a chorus of boos. In the dugout, manager Carlos Mendoza turned to third-base coach Mike Sarbaugh and remarked: “I don’t think I’ve seen anything like it.”
Even after striking out De La Cruz, Díaz remained at risk, as Lux hit a two-out bouncer to the right side of the infield. While Luisangel Acuña ranged over to snare it, Díaz -- cognizant of Game 161 last year, when he failed to cover first base in a blown save against the Braves -- sprinted to beat Lux to the bag. Acuña threw a strike to Díaz, who caught it, slammed one of his new shoes down on first base, slapped his chest with his free hand and screamed.
“That’s what makes him who he is,” Mendoza said.
Earlier in the evening, the Mets seemed primed to cruise to victory when they rapped out five runs -- including a Mark Vientos RBI single and solo homer -- against Reds left-hander Andrew Abbott. But David Peterson gave most of it back during the third and fourth innings, requiring New York’s bullpen to make a stand.
Ryne Stanek, Brooks Raley and Tyler Rogers did just that, combining on eight mostly stress-free outs before Díaz entered with a one-run lead in the ninth.
Díaz exited some time later wearing a new pair of shoes, but with the win secured.
“He definitely didn’t make it easy,” Stanek said, “but it was one hell of a Houdini.”
For the Mets, the victory gave them increased breathing room in the Wild Card race. With 21 games left, they’re now heavy favorites to secure one of three Wild Card spots. They can make things extremely difficult on the Reds with another win or two this weekend.
“We obviously know where they’re at,” Peterson said. “But at the same time, we’re not really focused on that. We’re focused on winning every game, on going 1-0 every day. We were able to do that today.”