The Mets' self-proclaimed "El Hombre" came up grande, starting a raucous celebration near home plate at Citi Field after last night's 10th inning.
Jordany Valdespin knew he had made solid contact against Josh Wall and was content believing he had just delivered a game-ending sacrifice fly. The ball kept going, giving Valdespin a moment to cherish for all-time's sake.
"I hit the ball in the air and the only thing I was thinking was, 'We won the game,' " Valdespin said after his game-winning grand slam — the sixth in franchise history — gave the Mets a 7-3 victory over the Dodgers. "Every fly ball in the outfield was a sacrifice to win the game."
Reuters
VALD IS BEAUTIFUL: Jordany Valdespin celebrates as he rounds the bases after his 10th-inning grand slam delivered the Mets a 7-3 win over the Dodgers. The Mets tied it with two outs in the ninth, allowing Matt Harvey to avoid his first loss of the season.
The Mets (10-9) were mostly dormant until the ninth inning, on a night Matt Harvey appeared mortal by surrendering a replay-aided, two-run homer to Matt Kemp that gave the Dodgers a 3-1 lead in the sixth. But David Wright stroked a game-tying RBI single off Brandon League with two outs in the ninth, after pinch-hitter Mike Baxter had hustled out a leadoff bloop double, and the Mets rallied in the 10th, culminating with Valdespin's blast.
Though Valdespin is something of a lightning rod in the Mets' clubhouse because of his flamboyance, teammates couldn't help but appreciate him last night.
"That's the beauty of his cockiness, swagger — whatever you want to call it," Justin Turner said. "He thrives in those situations."
Told that Valdespin was unsure of today's starting time (1:10 p.m.) until a team official informed Valdespin as he departed the clubhouse last night, Turner laughed.
"See, a double-edged sword," Turner said.
John Buck smacked a leadoff single in the 10th before Ike Davis walked and Marlon Byrd moved the runners with a sacrifice bunt. Lucas Duda was intentionally walked before Valdespin — against a defensive alignment that featured just two outfielders and an extra infielder playing between first and second base — cleared the right-field fence. Kevin McReynolds had been the last Mets player to hit a walkoff grand slam, on June 25, 1991 against the Expos.
"[Valdespin] is a talented kid," manager Terry Collins said. "When he's swinging the bat like he can, he can be real dangerous."
LaTroy Hawkins, Scott Rice, Scott Atchison and Bobby Parnell gave the Mets a chance by combining for four shutout innings.
Harvey had his fastball hopping, as has become the norm, but the difference between a win and no-decision was a well-placed Kemp shot in the sixth inning.
Kemp hit a drive to the right-field corner that was originally ruled in play for an RBI triple, but umpires convened for a replay review that showed the ball hitting a security guard behind the fence and caroming onto the field.
The blast placed Harvey into a 3-1 hole, from which the Mets didn't recover until Wright's game-tying single in the ninth. Harvey allowed three earned runs on four hits and one walk with seven strikeouts over six innings.
"In my mind I [stunk] and I have to be better," Harvey said.
Harvey was cruising in a 1-1 tie in the sixth, when he walked Adrian Gonzalez with two outs. Kemp's ensuing homer was his first this season and only the second allowed by Harvey in 35 innings.
Harvey was attempting to become the first pitcher since Fernando Valenzuela in 1981 to win his first five starts in a season while pitching at least seven innings and allowing one run or less. But Kemp's home run ended that bid, and Harvey was removed for a pinch-hitter in the sixth.
Turner's sacrifice fly pulled the Mets within 3-2 in the sixth after reliever J.P. Howell walked Byrd and Duda in succession to begin the inning.
Ted Lilly, in his season debut, frustrated the Mets with his assortment of off-speed pitches, allowing one run on six hits and two walks over five innings with seven strikeouts. The left-hander made just eight starts last season before undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder.
mpuma@nypost.com
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