http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/08/sports/baseball/mets-beat-reds-for-fifth-consecutive-win.html 2016-09-07 23:29:52 Mets Hammer Three More Home Runs in Fifth Consecutive Win Home runs by Jose Reyes, Curtis Granderson and Wilmer Flores supported a five-inning, scoreless start by Noah Syndergaard. === CINCINNATI — The Entering Wednesday afternoon’s game against the lowly Cincinnati Reds, the Mets produced nearly 54 percent of their runs via the home run. For their fifth straight victory, the Mets beat the Reds, “It’s good when we’re hitting them,” said the slugger Yoenis Cespedes, who has hit a team-high 28 home runs for the Mets. “But when we’re not hitting home runs, we have to find ways to manufacture runs.” The Mets’ reliance on the home run has produced an odd season at the plate. Their recent surge in the National League wild-card standings coincided with improved health and hitting. Despite that, they still entered Wednesday’s game averaging 3.93 runs per game, the fourth lowest total in baseball. Their .214 batting average with runners in scoring position was by far the worst in baseball. Yet with three more long balls Wednesday, the Mets ranked fourth in baseball with 192 home runs. Two of the teams with more — the Baltimore Orioles and the Toronto Blue Jays — are in the American League, which features a designated hitter. “We got where we got because we hit the ball out of the ballpark,” Mets Manager Terry Collins said before Wednesday’s game. “Are we going to change the way we hit? No. Not this time of the year. This is who we are. We’re hoping we’re getting a couple other guys hot in the lineup. That makes a big difference, instead of just riding one or two guys.” One of the oddest cases of home run dependency has been Granderson, whose solo home run Wednesday brought his season total to 25. He was hitting .225 and has only 45 R.B.I., which has him in rare company in baseball history. Granderson, who has not drawn as many walks as before, struggled not too long ago, but he has heated up of late and remained somewhat productive because of his power. He has homered five times in eight games. “Been kind of a rough year for him,” Collins said. “But he’s still dangerous.” While the Mets’ power dominated the game, Syndergaard (13-8) did just enough to survive his five laborious innings. He allowed six hits and walked a season-high four batters, but did not allow a run, in large part, thanks to the Reds’ poor base running. With some odd timing, the Reds were caught stealing twice against Syndergaard, who has allowed by far the most stolen bases in baseball. They also had a runner thrown out at home in a rundown, also preventing a run. Although the Mets were in control much of the game, Gabriel Ynoa injected tension in the eighth inning. The Mets held a 5-0 lead and Collins turned to Ynoa, a call-up from Class AAA Las Vegas, for the second straight day. Ynoa gave up two singles and a walk, and Collins hooked him. Addison Reed, the Mets’ standout setup man, was brought in for his team-high 68 Reed eventually escaped the inning, paving the way for Jeurys Familia to close out the homer-fueled victory.