Mets capitalize on Blue Jays’ costly errors for win to move ahead of Braves in wild-card race

TORONTO — The Mets lost a narrow lead in the seventh inning Monday night, but played the role of gracious guests and let a bad team hand them the game.

Hey, it counts.

Even with their lineup lackluster for a second straight day, the Mets capitalized on their opponent’s blooper reel of eighth-inning miscues and survived for a 3-2 victory over the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.

A day after their nine-game winning streak was snapped, the Mets managed only three hits, but leveraged Jesse Winker’s pinch-hit walk and Francisco Alvarez’s infield single into the tying and go-ahead runs in the eighth. The Mets (79-65) moved one game ahead of Atlanta in the race for the NL’s third wild-card.

“When it was hard for us we found a way to get it done,” manager Carlos Mendoza said.

After Danny Young allowed two runs in the seventh to place the Mets in a 2-1 hole, Winker walked and Alvarez hit a slow grounder that third baseman Ernie Clement threw away to put runners on the corners.

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Pinch runner Tyrone Taylor scored the tying run on a wild pitch by Tommy Nance with the bases loaded (following a walk to Francisco Lindor) and catcher Brian Serven’s passed ball allowed pinch runner Eddy Alvarez to score the go-ahead run.

“I thought the way we controlled the strike zone in that inning, especially after we chased a lot early in the game was the key,” Mendoza said. “[And] some aggressive base running. I thought we had some real good reads and good jumps.”

Tylor Megill didn’t learn until Sunday that he would be pitching on this night, after Paul Blackburn’s lower back discomfort scratched Blackburn’s return from the injured list.

Megill responded by retiring the last 16 batters he faced, after he loaded the bases in the first inning without surrendering a run. It was a needed boost from Megill, who began the night with a 4.95 ERA.

“I threw the ball great tonight and felt good,” Megill said. “Everything was working.”

Overall, Megill allowed one hit over six shutout innings in which he walked two and matched a season-high with nine strikeouts.

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It was the second time this season the right-hander pitched at least six innings scoreless. On May 28, he fired seven shutout innings against the Dodgers in which he also struck out nine.

“I found out [Sunday] I was starting, so I got prepared and went out and did it,” said Megill, who on Saturday had been told to be ready if needed from the bullpen.

Megill walked Will Wagner to load the bases in the first but retired Alejandro Kirk on a comebacker to conclude the inning.

The Blue Jays had mounted a two-out threat that also included a walk to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Spencer Horwitz’s double. The Blue Jays didn’t touch Megill for the remainder of his start.

“It was a huge outing for us,” Mendoza said.

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J.D. Martinez — moved to sixth in the lineup behind Jose Iglesias — stroked an RBI single in the fourth that gave the Mets a 1-0 lead.

Pete Alonso drew a two-out walk to start the rally and Iglesias was plunked before Martinez delivered for his 69th RBI this season.

Francisco Alvarez walked in the fifth, but was thrown out attempting to steal second base to conclude the inning. Iglesias got plunked leading off the seventh, but was erased on Starling Marte’s double-play grounder to end the inning.

Young plunked Wagner to start the Blue Jays rally in the seventh. After Kirk singled, Jose Butto allowed a single to Clement that loaded the bases.

Butto drilled Leo Jimenez to force in Toronto’s first run and Nathan Lukes’ sacrifice fly put the Mets in a 2-1 hole.

After the Mets went ahead 3-2 in the eighth, Ryne Stanek and Edwin Diaz combined to pitch the final two innings scoreless.

Diaz allowed a single to Clement in the ninth before Jimenez hit a shot to deep right that settled into Marte’s glove. But not before casting a moment of doubt the Mets would still have the lead.

“Off the bat I didn’t know,” Mendoza said.

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