PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies didn’t want any more of the Mets’ late-inning magic. So after Mets third baseman Mark Vientos hit a game-tying, two-run home run in the ninth inning, Philadelphia decided to reciprocate with the final blow of its own.
With runners on first and second and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos lined a game-winning single to left field to win Game 2 of the NL Division Series against the Mets at Citizens Bank Park 7-6. The best-of-five series is tied at one.
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On Sunday, Vientos drilled two home runs against an elite Phillies pitching staff. The first put the Mets on the board in the second inning against starter Christopher Sánchez. The second gave the Mets life, even if it was short-lived, to tie the game in the ninth inning against Matt Strahm, stunning a raucous Phillies crowd. Vientos went 3 for 4 with two home runs, a double and four RBIs in the loss.
To the 45,679 sets of naked eyes in South Philadelphia, Vientos’ second home run first appeared like a deep fly ball. But the ball kept traveling deeper and deeper until Phillies left fielder Brandon Marsh could do no more than watch it fall into the stands, 392 feet away.
The home run erased the Phillies’ hard-fought 6-4 lead, which they snatched from Mets closer Edwin Díaz, who was called on in the seventh inning to face the top of the Phillies order.
Leading 4-3 with two outs and runners on first and second base in the seventh inning, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza made the early call to Díaz.
Díaz faced Phillies DH Kyle Schwarber, who was 0-for-8 with six strikeouts against the right-hander in his career. Seven pitches later, Schwarber hung his head as he returned to his bench. Díaz pounded his chest after striking out the slugger who led the Phillies with 38 home runs in the regular season and preserving the Mets’ 4-3 lead.
The following inning wasn’t as successful for Díaz. After striking out lead-off hitter Trea Turner hitter, he walked Bryce Harper, using 10 pitches for both batters. Then, a single and a triple later, the Phillies overtook the Mets 5-4 for their first lead since the eighth inning of Game 1.
The triple by Bryson Stott knocked out Díaz from the game. Tylor Megill, normally a starter, was called upon, and he worked out of the inning after a fielder’s choice RBI with the Mets losing 6-4.
For five innings, Mets starter Luis Severino had managed to turn Philadelphia against the Phillies. With New York leading 3-0, every out the Phillies made drew loud jeers.
Then, in the bottom of the sixth inning, Harper hit a two-run 431-foot home run to center field that bounced off of the ivy, well beyond the wall. After crossing home plate, the first baseman challenged his home fanbase to get loud.
Next up was Castellanos, who followed with another home run, this one a game-tying one.
South Philadelphia did not need to be reminded to get loud this time. The home run breathed new life into the Phillies, who had tied the score 3-3 with three innings left to play.
Severino’s day was done: six innings, three earned runs on six hits with seven strikeouts.
In the next inning, Brandon Nimmo homered off Orion Kerkering, 390 feet to right-center field, putting the Mets back on top 4-3. It was only the third home run Kerkering has given up in his career.
Besides Nimmo, Mets hitters had done their job earlier in the game with Vientos staying hot in the postseason. After being stranded at second in the first inning, Vientos took matters into his own hands in the third inning. With Francisco Lindor at first, Vientos hit a home run into the right-field seats to give the Mets a 2-0 lead.
Then, First baseman Pete Alonso provided the Mets with a security run in the sixth inning. That’s when he hit a lead-off home run to extend the Mets’ lead 3-0, which soon crumbled.
Game 3 of the NLDS will head to Flushing on Tuesday with left-hander Sean Manaea pitching for the Mets and Aaron Nola starting for the Phillies.
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Manny Gómez may be reached at [email protected].
