Mets top lowly White Sox to move two games behind Braves in wild-card race

CHICAGO — The Mets received a needed infusion of bullpen arms before the trade deadline, but it’s the left-handed bat they acquired that has resonated the loudest lately.

Jesse Winker’s production is transforming him from a nice extra piece to a key member of a lineup that has been searching for heroes.

Saturday night the veteran outfielder had a third straight multi-hit game, which included a homer, in helping the Mets to a third straight victory, 5-3 over the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field.

The Mets will open September a season-high eight games above .500 and two lengths behind Atlanta for the National League’s third wild card.

They will look to finish the series sweep Sunday, when they complete a 10-game road trip over three cities.

To this point, the Mets are 6-3 on the trip, including a tough series victory in Arizona.

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“It’s the best time of year,” Winker said, when asked about entering the final month. “I like our chances a lot.”

The White Sox, who remain on pace to obliterate the 1962 Mets’ record for futility — that crew lost 120 games — matched a franchise record (which was established in 1970) by losing for the 106th time this season.

Saturday’s loss was the team’s 39th in 43 games.

Winker on Saturday went 3-for-3 with two RBIs.

Over his last three games he’s 8-for-11 (.720), which includes a double that led to the Mets scoring the go-ahead run in the ninth inning of their victory over Arizona on Thursday.

“He’s locked in right now,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “It’s quality at-bat after quality at-bat. He’s controlling the strike zone and [doing] things we knew he was capable of.”

Jose Quintana survived five innings in which he surrendered two runs, one unearned, on six hits and three walks with three strikeouts.

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The left-hander had heavy traffic on the bases over the first three innings and got to 98 pitches upon completing the fifth.

It followed a more efficient outing on Sunday in San Diego in which Quintana pitched 6 ¹/₃ scoreless innings before Jose Butto and Edwin Diaz flushed a 2-0 lead.

On this night, Pete Alonso hit his 30th homer of the season, clearing the left-field fence in the first inning to give the Mets a 2-0 lead.

Mark Vientos’ two-out single started the rally and Alonso pounced on a hanging breaking ball from Davis Martin for his third homer in five games.

Alonso joined Mike Piazza as the only player in franchise history with four straight seasons of at least 30 homers.

Winker followed with a blast to give the Mets back-to-back homers for the fifth time this year.

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Winker’s homer was his second in a Mets uniform.

Quintana allowed consecutive singles to Korey Lee and Lenyn Sosa to begin the second inning before Miguel Vargas’ fielder’s choice pulled the White Sox within 3-1.

Jake Amaya followed with a walk to load the bases, but Quintana struck out Corey Julks and Luis Robert Jr. in succession to escape the jam.

Winker’s RBI single in the third increased the Mets’ lead to 4-1.

Francisco Lindor’s leadoff single and Brandon Nimmo’s walk ignited the inning before Winker delivered with two outs, giving him a multi-hit performance for a third straight day.

Francisco Alvarez’s passed ball helped the White Sox score an unearned run in the third to pull within 4-2.

Quintana allowed a leadoff single to Andrew Benintendi, who took second on Alvarez’s passed ball. Gavin Sheets’ single brought in the run.

Starling Marte’s RBI single in the sixth increased the Mets’ lead to 5-2. Alonso and Winker singled in succession in the inning before Marte knocked in the run.

Huascar Brazoban, Ryne Stanek and Phil Maton combined for three innings of scoreless relief behind Quintana before Butto surrendered a run in the ninth on three hits.

“We’re in the race right now, so every single game and play matters for us,” Quintana said. “We push each other and we feel really good. Hopefully [Sunday] we come back and get that sweep and return to New York strong.”

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