Jose Quintana becomes Mets hero again in start of his life

Jose Quintana has pitched 11 innings in two clinching games this postseason and allowed zero earned runs.The Mets could not possibly ask for more from a to-be free agent who is pitching as if he does not want this season to end — and ensuring just that.Quintana was nails again, holding the Phillies to one unearned run in five innings of the Game 4, 4-1 win at Citi Field that sent the Mets into the NLCS for the first time since 2015.The veteran lefty held an ERA that started with a “5” in mid-June and recovered but was still the fourth-most trusted Mets starter entering September.He then allowed two runs in 25 innings in the month, which helped him crack a postseason rotation that he has helped save.After dealing for six scoreless innings in the Game 3 win in Milwaukee, Quintana lasted five-plus frames Wednesday and held the powerful Phillies offense in check.

He left trailing by one, but Francisco Lindor’s sixth-inning grand slam ensured Quintana would not be the hard-luck loser.The 35-year-old dealt for five strong innings in which he let up two hits — a double to Nick Castellanos that proved costly and a sixth-inning double to Bryce Harper that did not — and only was done in by a misplay by Mark Vientos. His only real bit of trouble arrived in a scoreless game in the fourth.

Quintana pitched around Harper, who walked on five pitches, before Castellanos’ double put two in scoring position.Alec Bohm hit a slow chopper to Vientos, who had a play at home but bobbled the ball and couldn’t get anyone out on the play as the Phillies took the lead.But Quintana ensured that would be the only run the Phillies would get.

With runners on the corners, J.T.Realmuto flew out to shallow right field before a lazy fly out from Bryson Stott ended the trouble.Quintana mixed in five pitches and threw nothing that touched even 93 mph.

Changing speeds, changing eye levels and changing directions with a deep arsenal, he kept the Phillies off-balance and struck out si...