Castellanos wins Game 2 for Phillies with a single in the 9th inning, giving the Mets a 7-6 lead

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Nick Castellanos sometimes surprises himself with the intuition that he can win a game on the last shot.

As he approached the plate with two outs in the ninth inning, with two runners on and one tied, Castellanos sensed he could win Game 2 of the NL Division Series for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Even in the face of a 1-2 slide against Mets reliever Tylor Megill.

“I liked this pitch when I saw it,” Castellanos said.

As Phillies fans let out a guttural roar that echoed outside Citizens Bank Park, it was clear they liked this field, too.

Castellanos snagged a game-winning hit that scored Trea Turner and gave the Phillies a dizzying 7-6 win over New York on Sunday, tying the NLDS at one game apiece.

“I told the guys Rocky would be proud,” postseason star Bryce Harper said. “Never mentality. Just a great game.”

This victory meant more than any fictional story.

Castellanos, who led the major leagues with four walk-off hits this season, threw away his helmet and was mobbed by his teammates in the infield as a play that seemed to be getting out of hand an inning earlier turned into another comeback for the NL East champions.

He ran to his son Liam, a constant presence at the stadium during his tenure, and the two exchanged a big “Let's go!”

“When I'm old and no one cares about me as a baseball player, we'll be home and we'll be able to remember this and look back on this,” Castellanos said.

His performance in Game 2 will long be etched in Philly sports history. Castellanos had two big swings and misses in the fourth inning, making the score 0-2. He didn't bite a sweeper in the dirt and expressed his displeasure when he heard boos from fans.

His tying home run in the sixth made it 3-all, and Castellanos scored the go-ahead Bryson Stott's two-run triple in a three-run eighth that gave Philadelphia a 6-4 lead.

“He’s done a lot for us this year,” Stott said. “It feels like every walk-off hit is Nick, and he is. And his heart rate doesn't increase, it stays the same. And creates the momentum.”

Megill retired the first two batters of the ninth and walked Turner and Harper, who also hit a home run and scored twice. Castellanos followed with the Phillies' fifth walk-off hit of the season.

“I just made a bad pitch and backed myself up,” Megill said.

After falling behind 2-0, Castellanos took a ball in the dirt, then pulled a hanging slider to left, sending the towel-waving crowd at the ballpark into a frenzy.

“Unbelievable. Unbelievable,” Castellanos said. “If he blows a fastball past me, then so be it. I'd rather do that than swing at something in the dirt. It was unbelievable, but the series is even. Now go we go to New York and there’s still a lot of baseball.”

Game 3 is Tuesday in New York, the Mets' first home game since September 22nd.

“No excuses. It was tough, but here we are,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “I’m just excited to get back to Citi Field.”

In just the second postseason game between the NL East rivals, the Mets and Phillies were pushed from pillar to post over the final four innings, with each game-winning hit capped by an even more emotional one.

Mark Vientos hit two two-run home runs for the Mets, who got solo throws from Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo.

“I think we put on quite a show for everyone in attendance and everyone watching on TV,” Nimmo said.

Harper's two-run home run and Castellanos' solo drive on a three-pitch span from Luis Severino sparked the Phillies' comeback from a 3-0 deficit in the sixth inning.

“I missed my location and I paid for it,” Severino said.

After Nimmo's seventh-inning home run off Orion Kerkering gave New York a 4-3 lead, Stott, on his 27th birthday, hit a two-run triple down the right field line after Harper walked and Castellanos hit a single against in the eighth Diaz hit .

“He threw a slider that I thought I could finally hit, and he was able to pull it over the line,” Stott said.

Díaz, who has a 9.37 ERA at Citizens Bank Park, threw 104 pitches in three appearances over a seven-day span.

Díaz criticized his approach to Harper, saying, “I think I was a little lazy with him instead of attacking him.”

JT Realmuto's grounder gave Stott a 6-4 lead, but Vientos hit a two-run home run off Matt Strahm, an All-Star left-hander, who left the Phillies stumped for the second straight game.

Harper – wearing a “Showman” headband – snapped the Phillies out of their offensive malaise when he drove Severino's fastest pitch of the day, a 99 mph fastball, 431 feet into the bushes in center as fans cheered.

“That was sick,” Harper said. “Best fan base in the world.”

Phillies fans were still reeling when Castellanos followed with a tying home run to left-center and then sprinted around the bases.

Now we're off to New York.

“Both teams, man,” Harper said. “Blow for blow.”

NEXT

Phillies RHP Aaron Nola and Mets LHP Sean Manaea start in Game 3.

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