CINCINNATI -- Yoenis Cespedes expects mixed results when he bats in pressure situations.
The outfielder hit the most damaging of New York's four homers, a two-run shot in the seventh inning, as the Mets rallied for their 13th straight victory over the Cincinnati Reds, 5-3 on Tuesday night.
"Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad," Cespedes said, through a translator. "When things work out, it's great."
Whenever the Mets play the Reds, they get the result they want. The winning streak is their longest against Cincinnati. The club record against any opponent is 15 straight wins against Pittsburgh in 1986-87. New York has won 18 of its last 20 against Cincinnati, including its division-clinching win at Great American Ball Park last Sept. 26.
Overall, New York has won 13 of 17 to tighten the NL wild card race.
San Francisco Giants
Curtis Granderson and Jose Reyes had solo shots off Brandon Finnegan. Cespedes connected off Michael Lorenzen (2-1) for his 28th homer, putting the Mets ahead to stay.
"Every time you see Ces go to the plate, you think he's going to do something special for this ballclub," Reyes said. "You think he's going to hit it out."
Reyes isn't the only one thinking it.
"When you're a star, that's what you do," manager Terry Collins said. "That's why they're in the middle of the lineup. They come through when you need them."
The Reds thought they were in good shape until Asdrubal Cabrera singled with one out in the seventh.
"Then Cespedes does what he can do," manager Bryan Price said.
Alejandro De Aza had a pinch-hit homer in the ninth.
Rafael Montero made his second start of the season and gave up Adam Duvall's two-run homer in 4 1/3 innings. Josh Smoker (2-0) allowed one hit in one inning. Jeurys Familia pitched the ninth for his 46th save in 49 chances. The closer has allowed one earned run in 15 2/3 innings since Aug. 1.
The Reds have dropped 11 of 15 overall, including the first two games of the series that concludes Wednesday.
Granderson's fourth homer in his last seven games gave him 24 for the season. The Mets have hit six homers in the first two games of the series, five of them solo shots.
BRUCE GETS A HIT:
Mets RF Jay Bruce singled in four at-bats. In his first series against his former team, he's gone 1 for 8 with three strikeouts.
NICE PLAY:
Reds 1B Joey Votto made a diving catch of Wilmer Flores' liner to end the fifth inning, stranding two runners.
NEW ADDITIONS:
The Mets called up OF Brandon Nimmo, INF T.J. Rivera, INF Eric Campbell, LHP Josh Edgin, RHP Erik Goeddel and INF Gavin Cecchini from Triple-A Las Vegas. The Reds called up INF/OF Tony Renda, OF Steve Selsky and RHP Josh Smith from Triple-A Louisville.
TRAINER'S ROOM:
Mets: LHP Steven Matz is playing catch but hasn't thrown off a mound. Matz has been sidelined since the middle of August by tightness in his pitching shoulder.
Reds: RHP Homer Bailey is limited to playing catch as he tries to get rid of soreness in his right biceps. There's no timetable for when he might throw off a mound again. He felt soreness after his last start on Aug. 28.
UP NEXT:
Mets: Noah Syndergaard (12-8) is 3-1 with a 1.63 ERA in his last four starts. He's 2-0 career against the Reds with a 2.42 ERA in three starts. The Mets have won all three games.
Reds: Anthony DeSclafani (8-2) is 0-2 with a 12.27 ERA in three career starts against the Mets, with all three games ending in losses.
