Mets secure at least tiebreaker for NL wild card
PHILADELPHIA - Jay Bruce and Robert Gsellman made scoreboard-watching irrelevant for the New York Mets.
Bruce homered for the third straight game and drove in three runs, Gsellman threw six sharp innings and the Mets secured at least a tie for the wild card with a 5-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night.
The defending NL champions reduced their magic number to one with two games remaining. The Mets began the night atop the wild-card race, with San Francisco one game back and St. Louis two behind.
Manager Terry Collins and players in the clubhouse didn't pay any attention to televisions airing the Pirates-Cardinals game. Collins said the team had no plans to celebrate regardless of the outcome in St. Louis, where the Cardinals kept pace with a 7-0 win.
''We had to take care of our own business and we've done that and we have to keep doing that,'' Collins said.
Gsellman (4-2) scattered seven hits and struck out seven in another strong performance. The rookie right-hander has allowed only three earned runs in his last four starts.
Stuck in a slump for nearly two months since being acquired from Cincinnati, Bruce extended his hitting streak to six games. He finished 3 for 4.
''I have confidence in myself and I have confidence in my team,'' Bruce said. ''I want to contribute and help the team get to the World Series. It's come at the right time.''