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| The lineups being introduced before Game 3. Photo by Jason Schott. |
In their long-awaited return to Citi Field, the Mets beat the Phillies, 7-2, in Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Tuesday evening.
The Mets now lead the best-of-five series 2-1 and can finish off Philadelphia on Wednesday evening, with the first pitch once again at 5:08 p.m.
Mets Manager Carlos Mendoza said of the electric atmosphere at their home ballpark, "Amazing, fantastic. Let's do it again tomorrow and more so. Obviously I've got to stay in the moment. What a privilege, what an honor for us to have that support from our fan base. We feel it. I've been saying it the whole year, and today was the perfect example. For us it's a privilege to be able to put this uniform on and represent this franchise and do it for our fan base. They deserve this, and just know that we will continue to fight. We will continue to believe. And we'll continue to have that one day mentality."
Sean Manaea got the start for the Mets, and he was superb. He went seven innings, and allowed one run on just three hits and two walks, while striking out six.
It didn’t take long for the Mets to get on the board against Phillies starter Aaron Nola, as Pete Alonso blasted one to right to lead off the second inning.
Alonso said of giving he Mets an instant jolt, "I'm just happy I put a good swing on the ball. Me and Aaron, like, we've faced each other a lot over the years, whether it's in the Big Leagues or in college. So he knows me; I know him. I'm just really happy because he's a great talented pitcher. He's a well-polished guy and he's tough. I'm just happy I was able to come through for the team right there."
This solo home run was Alonso's third home run this postseason, all opposite field shots, and that includes his game winner in the Wild Card Series clincher in Milwaukee last Thursday.
"He's on," Mendoza said of Alonso stepping up in the biggest moments of his career. "And I think we've been saying it the whole year. He can carry a team. He can carry us. And we're here because of that big swing he got in Milwaukee. And then today first pitch he sees off a really good pitcher in Nola, he goes the other way, and he goes with ease. As soon as he hit it, everybody in the ballpark knew it was gone."
This also was significant because the last time the Mets were here - Sunday, September 22 also against Philadelphia - it was thought to possibly be Alonso’s last game here, to the point he tipped his hat to the crowd’s ovation when he came to the plate for his first at-bat.
The Phillies had a big chance to respond in the third inning when Trea Turner got a two-out single to give them two runners on for Bryce Harper.
Manaea got Harper to bounce one back to him to end the inning.
Then, in the fourth, Alec Bohm laced one to deep right-center field that Tyrone Taylor tracked down and he fired one in to Francisco Lindor, who tagged Bohm with ease as he was sliding into second.
The Mets added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth when Jesse Winker crushed one into the second deck in right field for a solo shot that made it 2-0.
This came after Winker had hit one to the warning track in right in the second inning that Nick Castellanos was thought to have dropped, but it was ruled that it came on the transfer.
Kyle Schwarber and Turner walked to open the sixth, giving Harper another chance with two runners on base again, but this time with none out.
Manaea struck out Harper, and then he got Castellanos to line one to Iglesias at second for an easy double play to end the frame.
"It was just attack, not try to be too fine with things," Manaea said of his mindset facing Harper. "Attacking him and not trying to be too cute or too fancy. Really just the energy going towards him and I knew the defense behind me is incredible. We can do incredible things. Just got to trust that. Just went right after it."
Phillies Manager Rob Thomson said of that being a big chance for them, "Yeah, yeah. And Schwarber gets doubled off line drive. Casty hits the ball right on the nose. I thought that was possibly an opportunity to get back into it.
The Mets rallied in the bottom half of the sixth, as Mark Vientos singled and then Brandon Nimmo and Alonso each walked to load the bases.
That chased Nola from the game, as the Phillies turned to Orion Kerkering, who has appeared in each game of this series.
Iglesias was the first one up, and he bounced one to second that Edmundo Sosa fielded and fired him to nab Vientos at the plate. He then got Winker to fly out to left.
Starling Marte was up next, and he lined one to center field to bring home two runs and open up a 4-0 lead for the Mets.
In the seventh, the Mets kept it going against Jose Alvarado, as Vientos singled, and Nimmo and Alonso drew walks to load the bases.
Jose Ruiz came on to face Iglesias, who lined one back up the box to bring in a pair of runs to make it 6-0.
Manaea, who had thrown seven shutout innings to this point, gave up a single to Soto to open the eighth.
That would be all for Manaea, and Phil Maton came on and gave up a two-out RBI single to Harper to bring him in and get the Phillies on the board.
Ryne Stanek would relieve Maton and he gave up an RBI single to Castellanos that cut the Mets’ lead to 6-2. Bohm lined out to center to end the frame.
The Mets got one of those runs back in the bottom of the eighth when Lindor laced an RBI double to make it 7-2.
In a very revealing comment, Thomson said of his bullpen, "Yeah, you know, they're putting good at-bats against them. I don't think we're executing pitches, to tell you the truth"
Game 4 will be a battle of lefties, as Jose Quintana will take on Philadelphia's Ranger Suarez.
Thomson said of what he said to his club that's now on the brink, "I know it got out that I had spoken to the team. Basically it's just very simple: You come in here tomorrow, and I told them it's the most resilient club I've ever been around. That's what they're all about. They'r all about togetherness and fighting and playing together. That's what we need to do and just focus on one game."
When asked if Phillies ace Zack Wheeler could be ready to go, Thomson said, "I think everybody is available tomorrow."
Alonso said of Wednesday possibly being clinch day at Citi Field, "Yeah, I mean it would be fantastic to get it done. But we've got to stay within ourselves, focus on the task at hand pitch to pitch, out to our, inning to inning. I believe if we can do that, stay right there in the groove of things and don't try to do too much in each moment, I think we'll be able to get it done tomorrow."
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