PHILADELPHIA — The Mets had the Philadelphia Phillies on the ropes three times in Game 2 of the NLDS. They took a lead, then extended it. Then twice, the Phillies took a lead, only to see the Mets come back and tie the game twice, with Mark Vientos hitting second homer of the game in the top of the ninth to even the score for the second and final time.
But the Phillies, channeling their inner Rocky Balboa, finished the second round of what is shaping up to be a heavyweight fight of a series, walking off with a 7-6 win in the bottom of the inning.
The series is even at 1-1 as it moves to Citi Field for Games 3 and 4, starting Tuesday. Knowing they’ll soon be back in Queens after two weeks on the road with a chance to bring the magic home, the Mets are far from discouraged after this loss. They know how to take a punch, get back up and deliver a knockout blow.
“This is what everybody wants out of October baseball,” said outfielder Brandon Nimmo. “I think we put on quite a show for everybody in attendance and everybody watching on TV.”
With one out and the Mets down by two runs, Francisco Lindor smoked a single up the middle off left-hander Matt Strahm. It was on the ground, but at 105 MPH off the bat, it was too hard for shortstop Trea Turner to glove it. That brought up Vientos, who homered off left-handed starter Christopher Sanchez to open the scoring in the third inning.
Vientos sent this one into the left field stands to score two and tie the game at 6-6.
“We get down, he gets on top of a fastball from Strahm and ties the game in the ninth,” said manager Carlos Mendoza. “His at-bats, the way he’s controlling the strike zone, he just looks calm and very aware of the situation and in control. So impressive.”
He finished 3-for-4 with a double, two home runs, four RBI and a walk.
The Mets were without two relievers, right-handers Ryne Stanek and Phil Maton, making it a challenge for Mendoza to navigate 27 outs. Luis Severino went six innings and Jose Butto started the seventh with the Mets up 4-3.
The lead was in the balance after Butto put two on with two out, so Edwin Diaz came in to face leadoff man Kyle Schwarber, then the heart of the order in the eighth. This was clearly Mendoza felt the leverage was the highest and technically, the closer is the pitcher a manager calls in the highest-leverage innings.
But then the Mets went down in order in the top of the eighth and with one out in the bottom, Diaz walked Bryce Harper and gave up a single to Castellanos. With the count full, Bryson Stott drilled a ball to the exact right spot in right field he needed to in order to send home both runners. The Phillies took a 5-4 lead and the Mets pulled Diaz for right-hander Tylor Megill.
J.T. Realmuto sent a chopper to Vientos at third base. He squared to throw home, but he dropped the ball on the transfer and Stott came home safely, putting the Phillies up 6-4.
“He was not going to finish that game,” Mendoza said of Diaz. “He came in in the seventh and I thought that was their best hitters coming up. He got Schwarber, and he got Turner, but look, they’re a good team with great hitters and it just didn’t happen today.”
Megill finished the eighth, then came out for the ninth with the score at 6-6. He spent the last two games pacing back and forth in the bullpen, eager to pitch after watching his brother, Milwaukee Brewers reliever Trevor, pick up big outs against the Mets earlier in the week.
Megill fell behind on Turner 3-0, throwing his first three pitches into the dirt and away in an attempt to get him to chase. He got two strikes to work the count full, before missing with a cutter and walking him.
“He’s a really good hitter, and if you make a mistake, he’s going to make you pay,” Mendoza said. “And he didn’t chase. He did a good job and he controlled the strike zone, got on base. And then same thing with Harper.”
That brought up Harper, who homered off Severino in the sixth. Megill pitched around Harper, walking him to put two on with two out. Nick Castellanos singled to left to score Turner, and the Phillies walked it off.
“He just left that slider up,” Mendoza said. “I think it was too good of a pitch for Castellanos, and that’s another good hitter, and made him pay.”
Sanchez went five innings while Severino went six. They were each charged with three earned runs, giving up two homers apiece.
“I think in the whole game I missed three pitches,” Severino said. “It was the base hit and the two homers.”
Citi Field awaits the next counterpunch in the fight for the NLCS.
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