CINCINNATI -- Given a chance to bury the Reds in the National League Wild Card race on Sunday, the Mets instead allowed them to keep their slim postseason hopes alive.

That’s not the end of the world; even after their 3-2 loss at Great American Ball Park , the Mets maintained a four-game lead over the Reds, D-backs and Giants, their closest competitors in the NL. With 19 to play, it’s a sizable advantage. Entering the day, the Mets held a 95.2 percent chance of holding onto a playoff spot, according to FanGraphs projections. A single loss, even to one of the teams chasing them, won’t affect those odds much.

Still, the Mets know they’ll need to play better if they want to replicate last year’s deep run through October.

“I believe we’re in a good spot, but we’ve got to continue to win

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