J.T. Realmuto hit a game-ending single off Edwin Díaz with two outs in the ninth inning, and the Philadelphia Phillies came from behind again to beat the Mets 2-1 on Sunday. This win allowed Philadelphia to take two of three games from New York.
In the eighth inning, Tyrone Taylor hit a home run off Cristopher Sánchez, but Buddy Kennedy tied the game with an RBI double against David Peterson, who pitched a season-high 7 2/3 innings.
In the ninth inning, Nick Castellanos got a single with one out against Díaz (5-4) and then stole second base while Alec Bohm struck out. Down 0-2 in the count, Realmuto hit a 99.5 mph fastball over the high, outside corner to right-center for his sixth career walk-off hit.
“I’m just trying to put the ball in play and get the barrel on something,” Realmuto said. “These are the types of games you’re going to play in the postseason; these are the types of opponents we’re going to be playing.
To be able to scratch it out, find a way to win, those are the types of things that build momentum and we need to keep that going into the postseason.”
New York (81-68) is still tied for the final NL wild card spot with Atlanta (81-68), which lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers later on Sunday. The Mets, who had blown a 4-0 lead on Saturday, have lost just four times in their last 16 games.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said, “We had an opportunity and we didn’t get it done. We just have to turn the page. We have to continue to play well.”
Philadelphia (90-59), which leads the NL East by a wide margin, reached 90 wins in back-to-back seasons for the first time since their four consecutive seasons from 2008-11.
“Our guys just keep moving forward,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “They know it’s a long year and it’s a new day tomorrow.” The teams will play each other four more times in New York, starting on Thursday.
