It was the perfect ending to the Mets’ whirlwind day.
Wilmer Flores, previously seen in tears at Citi Field, crushed Felipe Rivero’s 12th-inning pitch into the Flushing night and the Mets’ celebration was in full throttle.
With it the Mets had a 2-1 victory over the Nationals to culminate a day in which they acquired slugger Yoenis Cespedes from the Tigers.
The Mets (53-50) moved within two games of Washington in the NL East in rebounding from a harrowing defeat a day earlier, when they blew a six-run lead against the Padres in the final two innings.