NEW YORK (AP) Luis Severino pitched seven crisp innings, Francisco Lindor sparked New York’s lineup again and the surging Mets crept closer to playoff position by beating the Boston Red Sox 4-1 on Monday night.

Brandon Nimmo hit an RBI double and saved a run with a terrific catch in center field for the Mets, who have won five straight and 12 of 17 to move within a half-game of idle Atlanta for the last National League wild card.

“We’re close to being in that playoff spot,” Severino said. “So from now on, every time they give me the ball, it’s a chance for me to get my team closer to the playoffs.”

Greeted with “MVP! MVP!” chants from a crowd of 35,064 throughout New York’s first home game following a 7-3 trip, Lindor singled twice, scored a run and was plunked by a pitch. His second base hit drove in Luis Torrens to make it 4-1 in the fourth.

“I’m not going to lie - it was pretty cool. I felt it, too, and it was like, wow!” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Looking back to April and here we are, first week of September, and we have 35,000-40,000 people chanting ‘MVP!’ That’s pretty cool.”

Lindor has reached base in a career-high 31 consecutive games and is riding a 13-game hitting streak, his longest of the season. He is batting .305 with 22 homers and 60 RBIs since moving into the leadoff spot on May 18.

“He’s everything you could ask from a player. Just proud to write his name in the lineup every day," Mendoza said.

At 74-64, the Mets are 10 games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2022 season. They were 11 games under .500 on June 2.

“What a story, right?” Mendoza said. “And here we are, playing meaningful games in September.”

Severino (10-6) allowed one run and six hits. He had just two 1-2-3 innings but limited the Red Sox to two hits in nine plate appearances with runners on base.

“We had our chances,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “We didn’t cash in.”

The right-hander struck out five, walked two and threw 66 of his 100 pitches for strikes. He has given up two runs or fewer in five of his nine second-half starts.

Danny Young retired Rafael Devers on a grounder to strand two runners in the eighth. Phil Maton struck out two in a perfect ninth for his fifth career save, third this year and first for the Mets since they acquired him from Tampa Bay for cash on July 9.

Maton also became the 10th Mets pitcher to earn a save this season, tying a franchise record set in 1965 and equaled in 1982.

Jarren Duran had an RBI single in the third for the slumping Red Sox, held to one run for the third game in a row - all losses. Boston is 4 1/2 games back of Kansas City for the third AL wild card.

“We’re not playing well right now,” Cora said. “It’s not going our way right now and we’ve got to show up tomorrow and try to win a game. We’re running out of time, let’s put it that way.”

Brayan Bello (12-7) gave up four runs and seven hits in five innings.

SPIRIT OF ’86

After the public address announcer finished reading Boston's starting lineup, a picture of the Mets’ 1986 World Series banner hanging high above the right-field seats was shown on the scoreboard. The Mets won their most recent title by mounting comebacks to beat the Red Sox in Games 6 and 7 at Shea Stadium.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: SS Trevor Story (dislocated left shoulder) went 0 for 3 with Triple-A Worcester in his second rehab game.

Mets: DH J.D. Martinez was placed on the paternity list. OF DJ Stewart was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse and went 1 for 3 in his first major league action since July 27. … RHP Kodai Senga (left calf strain) is close to throwing off a mound and said he hopes to return to the Mets when he is eligible to come off the 60-day injured list on Sept. 25. Senga, who has made all 30 of his big league appearances as a starter, said he’d be open to pitching out of the bullpen.

UP NEXT

Red Sox RHP Kutter Crawford (8-12, 4.12 ERA) is scheduled to face Mets LHP David Peterson (8-1, 2.83) in the middle game of the series Tuesday night.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb