Starling Marte wore good-luck charm from 12-year-old fan for Game 5 hit

If 12-year-old Simeon Friedman wasn’t already a fan of the Mets for life, he is after Game 5 of the NLCS, when outfielder Starling Marte donned a necklace made by the young fan.

Simeon has been hand-beading necklaces for the last few weeks to make money for holiday gifts. Seeing as how the Mets have adopted several different good luck-charms this season, he decided to make one with orange and blue beads, hoping it might help the team in their quest for the NL pennant.

He attended a few NLDS games with his father, Andrew Friedman, a New Jersey-based public relations pro, with the hope of giving a player the beads. Finally, Friday night at Citi Field, he got Marte’s attention.

Marte popped the necklace on before his final at-bat of the night, and drove in a run with an RBI single off Brent Honeywell in the top of the eighth, helping the Mets secure an important insurance run in a 12-6 win.

“In the seventh or eighth inning I start to throw balls to fans because I want the kids to go with a little memory,” Marte said. “In the fifth inning, a fan was trying to get my attention, and in the seventh inning or eighth inning I ended up throwing the ball and he gave me the necklace. In my next at-bat I ended up getting a hit there…

“It was a really special moment.”

Simeon was in awe. After trying to get Marte’s attention throughout the game, he couldn’t believe the veteran right fielder finally noticed him, and wore the beads he chose specifically for him.

“When I saw Starling actually put it on, I was flabbergasted,” he told the Daily News. “I didn’t think he would wear it. When he got the hit with it in the next inning, I hoped it might become the next Mets good luck charm.”

The timing was perfect.

The Dodgers have proven to be a beast of an opponent. The Friedmans came to Citi Field hoping to see the Mets get back in the series. They did exactly that, thanks in large part to three doubles and three RBI by Marte, who hit from the sixth spot in the order in Game 5.

Marte removed the necklace and put it in his locker for safekeeping after the game, but with a hit in his fifth at-bat, he’s convinced the beads brought him good vibes at the plate.

“When I put it on, everybody clapped,” Marte said. “It was very nice for me because I put it on and I got a hit. It means a lot that the fans love me and they take care of the team and they take care of me.”

After reaching first base, Marte looked toward the right field seats where the Friedmans were sitting, hoping to catch his eye to be able to thank Simeon for the gesture. Between the playoff pumpkin, “Omg,” and, of course, Grimace, the Mets have found luck in some unlikely places this season. The Mets will take all of it they can get as they attempt to stave off elimination once again and extend the series to seven games.

“If any of the other Mets need a good luck charm, I got them,” Simeon said.