Francisco Lindor hits a grand slam to send the New York Mets to the NLCS for the first time since 2015

CNN
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Francisco Lindor wrote another chapter in the New York Mets' remarkable season on Wednesday night, hitting a grand slam in a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4 to clinch the National League Division Series (NLDS).

The victory advances the Mets to the National League Championship Series (NLCS) for the first time in nine years and marks the first time the franchise has won a playoff series at Citi Field since the stadium opened in 2009.

With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the sixth, Lindor sent Carlos Estévez's fastball over the right-center field wall to give the Mets a 4-1 lead and set off delirium in the stands.

“Just in awe,” teammate Pete Alonso said of arguably the greatest moment Citi Field has ever witnessed, according to MLB.com. “That was the swing of my life.”

“I'm blessed that my daughters and my wife are here and can watch dad do something special,” Lindor told Fox Sports.

Lindor's year mirrored that of his franchise. Booed by his own fans early in the season, the Puerto Rican called a players-only meeting in late May after a 10-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers left New York 11 games under .500.

Since then, the Mets have posted a 72-42 record and Lindor has earned an NL MVP nod. The shortstop was the hero on the final day of the regular season, his go-ahead two-run home run in the ninth inning against the Atlanta Braves propelling the Mets into the postseason.

For much of Wednesday night, it looked like it would be a game full of missed opportunities for New York. With the bases loaded in the first and second innings, the Mets were down 1-0 in the fourth inning when Mark Vientos bobbled a ground ball from Alec Bohm and Bryce Harper came home to score.

But Lindor again managed to score all four of the Mets' runs in one hit before Edwin Diaz secured the win in the ninth.

“I want to win it all, and our team will be remembered forever,” Lindor said after the game, according to MLB.com. “This will be a team that comes every ten years and eats for free everywhere they go. And that's what I want to do. I want to do that. But the work is not done yet.”

The Mets now travel to either Los Angeles or San Diego to begin the best-of-seven NLCS on Sunday.