Written by Mike Puma at New York Post.com
September playoff races need unexpected heroes, and T.J. Rivera certainly fit the description Tuesday night for the Mets.
The rookie had waited patiently this season at Triple-A Las Vegas for a chance in the majors, finally getting a shot last month. Now he resembles a seasoned veteran.
“Did I look like I’d done it before?” Rivera said after smashing his first major league homer, a 10th-inning solo blast that led the Mets’ 4-3 victory over the Nationals. “That was good. I was trying to keep my cool.”
The Bronx native, who rose from undrafted free agent in 2011 to Pacific Coast League batting champion this season, was only in the lineup because Wilmer Flores continues to battle a sore neck.
Rivera, starting for the first time in three weeks, drove in three of the Mets’ four runs and then watched Jerry Blevins strike out Daniel Murphy for the final out with the tying run at first base.
“Somebody has got to surprise you,” manager Terry Collins said, referring to Rivera’s blast against Mark Melancon. “Somebody you don’t expect has got to come through, and tonight it was T.J.”
Noah Syndergaard rolled through seven innings, allowing one run, and the Mets felt confident heading to the ninth with a 3-1 lead. But all hell broke loose in a gut-wrenching inning.
Murphy delivered a leadoff infield single against Jeurys Familia, but the stunner was Jose Reyes’ two-base throwing error on Bryce Harper’s grounder that put the tying run on second base. Anthony Rendon followed with an RBI single that sliced the Mets’ lead to 3-2, and Wilson Ramos’ chopper off Familia’s glove went for a single to tie the game.
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