Eduardo Escobar’s monster night moves Mets into NL East lead with walk-off win

The slumber party ended and the pep rally began, sending the Mets to Atlanta with a wisp of momentum, and more importantly, a lead in the NL East.

Embarrassment and regret avoided. On the verge of getting swept in two games by the lowly Marlins, the Mets rallied late. And in the 10th inning, Eduardo Escobar’s RBI single delivered a 5-4 victory for the Mets at Citi Field.

In overcoming a four-run deficit for their 98th victory, the Mets moved one game ahead of the Braves, who lost in 10 innings at Washington. The Mets have the day off Thursday before they are scheduled to begin a three-game series in Atlanta on Friday with the NL East title up for grabs.

Escobar, who drove in all five runs for the Mets, delivered an opposite-field single to left against Dylan Floro that brought in automatic runner Francisco Lindor with the winning run in the 10th.

Eduardo Escobar celebrates with the team after he hits a walk-off single scoring Francisco Lindor in the tenth inning against the Miami Marlins. Corey Sipkin Eduardo Escobar celebrates with the team after he hits a walk-off single scoring Francisco Lindor in the 10th inning against the Miami Marlins. Robert Sabo

The Mets had two cracks to win in the ninth, but Pete Alonso struck out for the fourth time in the game before Lindor popped out to end the inning after Tomas Nido had smashed a double to the base of the center-field fence.

In the eighth inning, the Mets loaded the bases on walks by lefty Tanner Scott to Brandon Nimmo, Alonso and Mark Canha, before Escobar slapped a two-run single that tied the score 4-4. Escobar’s single came against lefty Richard Bleier, who had balked three times during Alonso’s eighth-inning at-bat the previous night. With calls of “balk” from the crowd before each Bleier delivery, Escobar hit a roller through the right side to give him four RBIs on the night.

Edwin Diaz struck out the side in the ninth to keep the score tied. The Mets also received a scoreless inning from Adam Ottavino in the eighth after Seth Lugo had surrendered an earned run over two innings.

Asleep for six innings, the Mets created a stir in the seventh on Escobar’s two-run homer, which sliced Miami’s lead to 4-2. The home run was the eighth this month for Escobar, whose .607 slugging percentage for September was first in the National League entering the night. After Jeff McNeil singled leading off the inning, Escobar homered into the left-field seats against lefty Jesus Luzardo, who had allowed only three hits to that point.

Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo celebrate during the Mets’ win over the Marlins on Wednesday. Robert Sabo

If Taijuan Walker is battling Carlos Carrasco for a spot in the postseason rotation he hardly distinguished himself Wednesday, allowing three earned runs on six hits and two walks over five-plus innings. Walker was removed with runners on second and third with nobody out in the sixth and watched as JJ Bleday’s sacrifice fly gave the Marlins a 3-0 lead.

The Marlins added to that lead in the seventh, receiving an RBI double from Brian Anderson against Seth Lugo after Charles Leblanc had walked to reach base for the third time in the game.

Taijuan Walker reacts after getting out of trouble in the fifth inning. Robert Sabo

Bryan De La Cruz smashed a two-run homer in the fourth that placed the Mets in a 2-0 hole. The homer was the fifth allowed by Walker in his last five starts and 15th overall this season. Leblanc doubled leading off the inning before De La Cruz homered over the center-field fence with two outs.

Walker loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth, but escaped trouble by striking out Anderson. The Marlins received two singles in the inning before Leblanc walked loaded the bases.