A sweep sure would have been satisfying, but the job — as far as getting closer to the playoffs — got done regardless on Thursday night, when the Mets fell in the Rockies finale, 8-4, in a game that formally may have marked the end of David Wright’s second-half slump. And we have the Nats pulling one out late over Philly to thank for it, thus edging the Mets’ magic number ever so downward to …

15.

It’s a very magical number in Mets lore — not only did Ron Darling made it look wonderful on his back, but Carlos Beltran is in the process of making it a historic one for the Mets.

As the Mets enter September, they have 32 games remaining. An 18-14 month would seal 100 wins.