Oct 6, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA;New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (4) hits a single in the sixth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during game two of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images PHILADELPHIA — Nick Castellanos singled home the decisive run in the bottom of the ninth, lifting the Philadelphia Phillies over the New York Mets 7-6 in Game 2 of their National League Division Series.
Castellanos, 3-for-5 with a homer in the game, lined a 1-2 offering from reliever Tylor Megill (0-1) into left, scoring Trea Turner.
Turner and Bryce Harper walked with two outs, setting the stage for Castellanos and enabling the Phillies to tie the best-of-five series at one game apiece. The next two games will be played Tuesday and Wednesday in New York.
The Mets forged a 6-6 tie on Mark Vientos’ two-run homer in the top of the ninth, Vientos’ second homer of the game.
The Mets hit four homers in all, while back-to-back blasts in the sixth by Harper and Castellanos enabled the Phillies to erase a 3-0 deficit. Harper’s homer was a two-run shot.
Brandon Nimmo then hit a solo shot for the Mets in the seventh, putting them back in front, 4-3.
But Harper drew a one-out walk from Mets reliever Edwin Diaz in the bottom of that inning, then advanced to third on a single by Castellanos. Bryson Stott tripled home both runners.
Stott scored on J.T. Realmuto’s fielder’s choice, making it 6-4.
Nimmo homered off Philadelphia reliever Orion Kerkering in the seventh to give the Mets that 4-3 lead.
Vientos and Pete Alonso hit respective homers in the third and sixth for New York, both opposite-field shots by the right-handed sluggers off Philadelphia starter Cristopher Sanchez. Vientos’ shot came after a single by Francisco Lindor, and Alonso led off the sixth with his blast.
Severino carried that 3-0 lead into the sixth, but Trea Turner singled with two outs. Harper followed by launching Severino’s 2-2 pitch — a 99 mph fastball — over the fence in center field, a 431-foot shot that awakened the sellout crowd and the Phils’ struggling offense.
Castellanos followed with a homer to left to tie it.
Sanchez went five innings and allowed two runs on five hits. He struck out five and walked one.
Jeff Hoffman (1-1) recorded one out for the victory.
The Phillies used their running game to advance runners to third twice in the first three innings. Turner singled and stole second and third in the first, and Johan Rojas singled and moved up on an error and steal in the third. But on both occasions Severino escaped unscathed.
–Gordie Jones, Field Level Media
