Mets win 5th straight, move into Wild Card tie

CINCINNATI — As they look for help in chasing down the Giants and Cardinals in the hunt for a National League Wild Card spot, the Mets have done their part to keep the pressure applied. A 6-3 victory over the Reds on Wednesday meant a three-game series sweep for New York, five straight victories and wins in 14 of its past 18 games.

And with St. Louis’ 4-3 loss in Pittsburgh, the Mets pulled even with the Cardinals in the NL’s second Wild Card spot.

It was a 5-0 lead for the Mets until the eighth inning. Jose Reyes got them started by hitting the first pitch of the game from Anthony DeSclafani for a home run to right field.

In the third inning, a two-out fielding error by shortstop Jose Peraza on Yoenis Cespedes’ ground ball opened the door to another run. DeSclafani threw a wild pitch and was late covering the plate for a throw as Reyes easily scored.

“Obviously, I have to be better on that,” DeSclafani said. “I guess I just misjudged it. No excuse, I’ve got to get to home plate. I didn’t think it went that far back.”

Leading off the sixth inning, Curtis Granderson slugged a homer to right-center field that gave the Mets a three-run lead. That was enough space for Noah Syndergaard, who lacked command and labored for five scoreless innings. He allowed six hits and four walks, striking out seven while throwing 95 pitches. After his departure, Wilmer Flores added on with a pinch-hit two-run homer to center field in the eighth against lefty reliever Wandy Peralta.

“Obviously, [it] wasn’t like what we’ve been seeing,” Mets manager Terry Collins said of Syndergaard’s outing. “I don’t know if it was the weather, but command was not there today of pretty much any of his pitches.”

Mets pitchers didn’t have an easy afternoon as the Reds put runners on base in every inning. But Cincinnati went 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position and left 12 stranded.

DeSclafani pitched six innings and gave up three runs (two earned), seven hits and one walk with seven strikeouts. Three runs in the eighth against the Mets bullpen came after the Reds loaded the bases with no outs on Gabriel Ynoa. Tucker Barnhart’s one-out RBI single off of Addison Reed ended the shutout bid before Peraza’s two-out double added two more runs. But Cincinnati got no closer and has dropped eight of its past 10 games, as well as 14 in a row against New York, dating back to Sept. 7, 2014.

“It’s a good lineup,” DeSclafani said of the Mets. “They’ve played some pretty good ball the past few days here. It seems like they’re swinging the bat well at a good time, trying to go for the playoffs. I wish we could have held them to less runs and gave ourselves more of a …

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