FLOWERING, Queens — Francisco Lindor hit a grand slam in the sixth inning, his final clutch swing in a storybook season, and the New York Mets reached the National League Championship Series with a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday.

Edwin Díaz retired Kyle Schwarber with two runners aboard to end it as New York shut down the rival Phillies in Game 4 of their best-of-five Division Series, winning 3-1 to make its first postseason appearance series’ on home field. in 24 years.

“I want to win everything. And our team will be a team that will be remembered forever,” Lindor said. “This will be a team that comes every ten years and eats for free everywhere. And I want to do that. I want to do that. But the job is not done yet.”

With tears in his eyes, outfielder Brandon Nimmo hugged Lindor as the Mets excitedly streamed onto the field after the final out.

Then, in a raucous locker room, they enjoyed the franchise’s first champagne-soaked clinching celebration in Citi Field’s 16-season history. The last time the Mets won a playoff series in their home stadium was the 2000 NLCS at Shea Stadium – which came 14 years after the most recent of the franchise’s two World Series titles.

“This is the kind of thing I dreamed about,” Nimmo said in a clubhouse interview shown on the giant video board in the center. “This has been a long time coming. We wanted it so bad for our fan base.”

After three days of rest, New York opens the best-of-seven NLCS on Sunday at the San Diego Padres or Los Angeles Dodgers. San Diego held a 2-1 lead in their NLDS heading into Game 4 on Wednesday night.

“Let’s keep this thing running!” Mets slugger Pete Alonso told the reveling fans still in the stands as he left the clubhouse party for an on-field interview with his large glasses shielding his eyes. “So proud of this group. We have overcome so much.”

For the NL East champion Phillies, who won 95 games and finished ahead of the wild-card Mets six times during the regular season, it was an acrimonious exit early in the playoffs and a disappointing step back after they advanced to the 2022 World Series and then lost Games 6 and 7 of the 2023 NLCS at home to Arizona.

After falling short again in October, Bryce Harper and the Phillies are still looking for the franchise’s third championship.

“We really have a great group. We got beaten in a close series,” said manager Rob Thomson.

Perhaps overprotective at the plate with so much on the table, the Mets left the bases loaded in the first and second inning against Ranger Suárez and stranded eight runners in the first five innings.

They put three runners on base again in the sixth, this time with no one out, before No. 9 hitter Francisco Alvarez drove home against All-Star reliever Jeff Hoffman.

With the season on the line, Thomson then called up Carlos Estévez to face Lindor, who drove a 2-1 100-mph fastball into Philadelphia’s bullpen in right-center, giving New York a 4 -1 lead and the sold-out crowd of 44,103 went into a frenzied, bouncing, throbbing frenzy.

“I knew right away,” Estévez said. “I knew I wanted to get a little higher up the pitch. Unfortunately it was more of a middle ground rather than up and down, and as soon as he hit the ball I knew he hit it really well.”

With his first homer of these playoffs, Lindor joined Shane Victorino and Hall of Fame slugger Jim Thome as the only Major League players with two postseason grand slams. The star shortstop also connected for Cleveland at Yankee Stadium in Game 2 of a 2017 AL Division Series.

Edgardo Alfonzo hit the only other postseason slam in Mets history, during a 1999 Division Series in Arizona.

“There are runners up and we couldn’t come up with a big hit until we came up with a big hit, who else? The MVP. I keep saying you could write a book. You could make a movie because this is it right here” , Mets rookie manager Carlos Mendoza said.

“And the whole time the inning is going on, Lindor is going to do it again. There’s no panic. The way he controls the emotions and hits the ball. It’s unbelievable.”

Fans chanted “MVP! MVP!” when Lindor disappeared into the dugout and again when he took his defensive position in the seventh.

Game 3 on Tuesday was Lindor’s first chance to play at Citi Field since Sept. 8 after missing time due to a back injury.

But few, if any, players have been as valuable to their team this year as Lindor, who has delivered a remarkable string of big hits and crucial contributions as the Mets rallied from a 24-35 start to their first NLCS since losing the World Cup 2015. Series to Kansas City.

His game-tying home run in the ninth inning on September 11 in Toronto broke Bowden Francis’ no-hit bid and led to a critical Mets victory, and his go-ahead home run in the ninth on September 30 in Atlanta secured a spot in the play-offs.

Lindor also battled back from a 1-2 count to belt an eight-pitch walk in the ninth inning against All-Star closer Devin Williams last week in Milwaukee, helping set up Alonso’s season-opening homer New York in the Wild saved. Card series clincher.

“It’s been an uphill battle. It’s been tough. But we’re still not where we want to be,” Lindor said. “This road has been, yes, it has been winding, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Mets starter Jose Quintana didn’t allow an earned run in five-plus innings of two-hit ball, and David Peterson pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings for the win.

Díaz walked his first two batters in the ninth, drawing groans from the stands, but retired the next three batters — two on strikeouts — for the first postseason save of his career.

The Phillies stopped all series at the plate except for a late comeback to win Game 2 at home, scoring their lone run on an error by third baseman Mark Vientos in the fourth.

Hoffman picked up his second loss, the latest flop from a Philadelphia bullpen that failed to produce results throughout the series.

“Some of it is execution, maybe some of it is known to our guys,” Thomson said. ‘I don’t know. However, it should work both ways.”

Meanwhile, at Citi Field, Mets fans showed their excitement about their team’s big win Wednesday night.

“I’m from Queens, I’ve been a fan all my life. I’m 42,” said one Mets fan. “This is what it’s all about – like I said – let’s win baby! Padres, Dodgers – who’s next?”

Some fans even gave all the credit to Grimace, the team’s good luck charm.

“Absolutely! You have no idea. Grimas is responsible for everything that happened tonight,” said one fan.

Fans also had a message for their rival New York Yankees, who are currently two games to one in their series against the Kansas City Royals.

“You’ve lost every game this year and we have a lot of business to cover 24 years ago,” said one Mets fan.

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