AMAZIN’S ARE WILD ABOUT 2
Bruce, Gsellman dazzle as Mets close on berth
PHILADELPHIA — With every television in the visiting clubhouse showing the Cardinals beating the Pirates at Citizens Bank Park late Friday night, Jay Bruce ate, showered, changed, packed up his things and headed back to the hotel.
Robert Gsellman barely looked up at the TVs as he walked out before 11 p.m. Those two had combined Friday night to lead the Mets to a 5-1 win over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, putting them one win — or Cardinals loss — from clinching a National League wild card spot.
They didn’t see the finishing touches of the Cardinals’ 7-0 win over the Pirates that kept the champagne on ice, although the Mets did clinch a tie for a wild card spot and a possible game 163.
The Mets (86-74) want to finish the job themselves, preferably on Saturday.
“The reason you play is to make the playoffs,” Bruce said. “I have been fortunate to go to the playoffs a few times. I’ve played in the wild card (game) before. It’s like Opening Day all over again. It’s great. We’re close to securing that and really we’re controlling our own destiny.
“We’re not concerned with how anyone else does,” Bruce added. “We can come out tomorrow and take care of business.”
Bruce is certainly taking care of business, the same guy who was getting booed nightly and ultimately benched during his first six weeks as a Met. He hit a home run for the third straight game and fourth in his last six, and added two RBI singles.
After surviving speculation that he did not have the makeup to handle New York, he’s back to being the RBI machine he was for the Reds earlier this year, with eight in the last six games. He had 11 in his first 42 games as a Met.
“We knew when we got him, if he could start swinging the bat, he changes the whole lineup and he does,” Terry Collins said. “You are looking at a guy who produces runs . ... It’s nice to have him swinging the bat. He came at the right time. It’s when we needed him. Hopefully he can stay hot from now on.”
Gsellman, who began the season in DoubleA Binghamton, held the Phillies to one run on seven hits in six innings. He struck out seven and walked one, intentionally. He finished his regular season at 4-2 with a 2.42 ERA in seven starts, all pressure outings in a playoff race.
He and Seth Lugo have done a remarkable job stepping in for a team that has lost three young guns — Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Steven Matz — to season-ending injuries. They have filled in behind Noah Syndergaard and Bartolo Colon to keep the Mets playoff push going strong.
“We’ve asked a lot of our young pitchers that have come up. Be it Harvey when he first came up, or Jake or Noah or Steven Matz, but nobody was thrust into a pennant race like these guys,” Collins said. “Noah came up last year early, obviously pitched most of the year for us, therefore he got into a pennant race. These guys came up in August and bam! They are in the middle of crunch time.
“They have really done an outstanding job of controlling their emotions,” Collins continued. “They have great demeanors on the mound. Good stuff, their stuff speaks for itself. The way they have handled the situation, they haven’t been intimidated, continue to throw the ball over the plate. Very impressive.”
The 23-year-old Gsellman said it was his dream to get thrown into the fire and pitch in big games. He would not, however, allow himself to think about his next possible start. That would be a playoff game.
“Hasn’t really kicked in yet, but it’s fun,” Gsellman said. “I just keep it rolling, do what I have to do.”
They did what they had to do Friday, Gsellman and Bruce leading the Mets to another important win.
Then they quietly packed up and headed out to get ready for Saturday and a possible champagne celebration.