BREAKING: Francisco Lindor’s walk-off sacrifice fly lifts Mets past Blue Jays

Mets players celebrate with Francisco Lindor after their 3-2 win...

It seemed as if a good time was being had at Citi Field on Saturday night. But the game lacked dramatic moments for the Mets, who were being shut out and were hitless in their first 10 at-bats with runners in scoring position.

That all changed with two outs in the eighth when Jesse Winker hit a tying two-out, two-run triple off the rightfield wall.

In the ninth, the Mets completed a walk-off 3-2 victory on Francisco Lindor’s sacrifice fly to center before a crowd of 37,694.

Jose Siri drew a one-out walk from Nick Sandlin and moved to second on a wild pitch. Luis Torrens — who entered the game at catcher in the eighth after being a late scratch from the lineup because of a right forearm contusion — floated a single to left. Siri stopped at third.

The Blue Jays brought in righthander Jeff Hoffmann, who threw one pitch that Lindor lined to center. Siri tagged up and scored without a throw to end the game as the Mets (5-3) won their third in a row.

Edwin Diaz, who allowed two hits but struck out three in the top of the ninth, was the winning pitcher.

It wasn’t Grimace or “OMG” — not this early in the season. But it was still pretty cool on a cold night (45 degrees at game time) for the Mets and their fans.

“It’s trusting each other,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Believing you’re not out of the game. You’re probably a guy or two from bringing [up] the tying run and getting back in games. They believe. ”

The Mets were trailing 2-0 in the eighth when Winker rocketed his triple off the rightfield wall off lefthander Brendon Little. It was Winker’s second triple of the game and fourth as a Met. He had two in last year’s postseason.

Mendoza did not use a pinch hitter for Winker, who doesn’t usually bat against lefties. Luisangel Acuna was available, but Winker was swinging the bat well with a double and triple on the night.

“Right before I went to the on-deck circle, he said, ‘This is your at-bat,’ ” Winker said. “It pumps you up. It’s awesome playing for him. It’s a blessing. Extremely grateful.”

Funny the way things work out: If Torrens hadn’t been scratched after getting hit by a foul tip on Friday, Mendoza might have had Starling Marte available to hit for Winker.

Hayden Senger started behind the plate. Mendoza, knowing Torrens was OK enough to enter the game late, used Marte to bat for Senger with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh with the Mets trailing 2-0. Marte grounded out to the pitcher.

Winker’s triple also ended the night for Blue Jays rightfielder George Springer, who crashed into the fence in a futile attempt to catch the drive. Springer limped off the field with assistance, with the Blue Jays saying his lower back was sore.

Lindor started the eighth with a four-pitch walk. Juan Soto singled, but Pete Alonso struck out and Brandon Nimmo hit a fly ball to center to bring up Winker for the tying blow.

“Once you get to two strikes, you just want to battle and put the ball in play,” said Winker, who paused as if he had homered before turning on the jets to make it to third easily as an injured Springer retrieved the ball. “I was just happy to find some grass.”

The game started promisingly enough against Toronto starter Chris Bassitt when Lindor led off the bottom of the first with a double. He moved to third on a long fly to center by Soto, but Alonso struck out on a 3-and-2 pitch and Nimmo grounded out to second. That would be the Mets’ theme until the eighth.

Griffin Canning, after a strong Mets debut on March 29 at Houston (5 2⁄3 innings, two runs in a 2-1 loss), threw shutout ball over the first four innings.

Canning allowed a pair of singles by Alan Roden and Bo Bichette to open the fifth and was pulled by Mendoza after 89 pitches.

Jose Butto came in and allowed a single by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for the game’s first run. Canning was charged with that run in four innings-plus. He allowed four hits, walked three and struck out six.

Toronto made it 2-0 in the sixth against Butto on back-to-back two-out doubles by Roden and Bichette.

Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.

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