Mark Vientos' two home runs, including a walk-off, help the Mets to a 6-4 victory over the Reds in the series opener

Powered by Mark VientosWith two two-run home runs, the Mets began their three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds on Friday with a 6-4 win in 10 innings. New York has won eight games in a row, a season high.

Findings

1. Sean Manaea allowed more than three runs in a game for the first time since July 19, with a pair of two-run home runs to tie the game doing the damage – an uncharacteristic blemish on an otherwise strong start. The left-hander allowed four runs on three hits while allowing nine strikeouts, two walks and one in 6.2 IP.

After the Mets took the lead with a two-out rally and scored two runs in the sixth inning, Manaea squandered the 4-2 lead with a two-out, two-run homer and TJ Friedl. In addition to Friedl's long ball and Elly De La Cruz's two-run shot in the fourth inning, the only other hit the Reds made against Manaea was a single in the second inning by Spencer Steer.

Manaea (11-5, 3.33 ERA) has been a hitter for the Mets all year, and the 64-strike, 97-pitch performance was just two pitches away from becoming his fifth consecutive quality start.

2. Have fun, Vientos. Third baseman Vientos, who bats third, got the Mets on the scoreboard with a second-inning home run, his 23rd of the season, to take a 2-0 lead before adding a seventh-inning single and a 10th-inning walk-off. Vientos, who is up to 62 RBIs, has taken his chance this season and made it count.

3. Welcome back, JD Martinez. In his return from the paternity list, he delivered a 1-for-4 performance that included a two-out RBI single in the sixth inning to extend the Mets' lead to 4-2.

4. With the Atlanta Braves' 3-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays, the Mets (77-64) remain tied for the third NL Wild Card spot. Even when the Reds (68-74) had a chance to win the first game, New York never gave in. This team showed a team with playoff qualities on Friday at Citi Field.

Who is the MVP?

Vientos, who started – and ended – the Mets’ scoring with his two two-run shots.

Highlights

What happens next?

The Mets and Reds continue their series with Saturday's game at 4:10 p.m. on SNY.

New York is expected to start as a left-hander Jose Quintana (7-9, 4.27 ERA).