NLDS Game 1: Mets 6, Phillies 2 – Mets rally late, win Game 1

The Mets continued their magical run with a come-from-behind win against the Phillies' best starter and some excellent relief pitchers, winning 6-2 in South Philadelphia.

Old friend Zack Wheeler started for the Phillies and made quick work of the first game against the Mets. Francisco Lindor struck out Bryce Harper early in the game, and Wheeler struck out both Mark Vientos and Brandon Nimmo with a swing to start the game strong.

Kodai Senga returned to a major league mound for the first time since collapsing with a calf injury in his only appearance this season. However, in the third pitch, Kyle Schwarber took it deep – really deep – to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead.

After that, Senga calmed down and allowed a walk to Bryce Harper between strikeouts against Trea Turner and Nick Castellanos. The frame ended with an Alec Bohm pop out to the right side of the infield. In the second, Senga looked strong, hitting JT Realmuto and causing two flyball outs. Even though it wasn't a very long performance, Senga looked good, and that bodes well for future performances this postseason.

David Peterson was next for the Mets. Schwarber fought off a single but was wiped out by Turner's bat on a fielder's choice. A quick throw to first almost wiped out Turner, although a replay seemed to confirm that Pete Alonso had tagged Turner on the leg before the oven mitt hit the first base bag. A second walk to Harper gave Castellanos two hits, who flied out to Starling Marte to end the inning.

While Jesse Winker walked in the second inning, the first hit for the Mets came in the fourth inning when Vientos hit a single to left field. Nimmo then went to put two ons with no outs. A borderline high shot brought Alonso victory for the first time. Jose Iglesias, after a few false strike calls, hit a ball back to center that Wheeler deflected, leading to an inning-ending double play.

Home plate umpire Andy Fletcher was incredibly inconsistent for both teams, but the inconsistency was particularly noticeable for the Mets, as Wheeler was so good at his game today that the Mets needed a fair strike zone to give them a fair chance give. Fletcher denied them that.

Marte was hit in the forearm in the fifth, but Wheeler was able to get around the baserunner and keep the Mets off the field.

Peterson began to tire in the fifth, but ended his day with a strikeout against Harper to keep the Mets within one run. After Peterson's three innings, Reed Garrett came into the game and pitched two perfect innings with one strikeout.

Wheeler was excellent all day, allowing only one shot while making thirty (!) swings and misses. While he was a little wilder than usual, walking four times, he struck out nine and kept the Mets completely off balance the entire game.

With Wheeler out of the game in the eighth, Francisco Alvarez greeted new pitcher Jeff Hoffman with a single. Harrison Bader replaced him on the basepaths when Francisco Lindor came to the plate. Lindor worked a walk to put on two without dropping anyone.

Vientos drove a Hoffman pitch over the third base bag, scoring Bader and moving Lindor to third, tying the game. After Matt Strahm entered the game, Nimmo laced a ball the other way to score Lindor and give the Mets the lead. Vientos then scored with an Alonso sacrifice fly to give themselves some breathing room.

Iglesias then had a nice, long drive that ended with a single up the middle, ending Strahm's day. Orion Kerkering was next for Philadelphia, and pinch-hitter JD Martinez belted a single up the middle, scoring Nimmo and moving Iglesias to third. A Marte Sac fly defeated Iglesias in the fifth round of the eighth. A Tyrone Taylor foul ended the inning, but the damage was done.

Phil Maton reached the bottom of the eighth for the Mets and opened the frame by freezing Schwarber, the owner of the Phillies' only two hits so far. After a strikeout by Turner, Harper got the Phillies' third hit with a double down the right field line. Castellanos was next and hit a single under Lindor's glove to put the men on the corners with two outs. Bohm struck out in the bottom of the eighth, ensuring the Mets were just three outs away from winning Game 1 of the series.

Tanner Banks took over pitching for Philadelphia in the ninth and was greeted by Bader with a two-strike hit up the middle. Lindor struck for the first time. Next up was Luisangel Acuña, who came into the game as a defensive replacement. During Acuña's attack, Bader went to second and was almost thrown out of the game except for a ball throw by Bryston Stott. After Acuña struck out, Nimmo hit a single off Stott's glove to give Bader the lead and take a 6-1 lead.

Ryne Stanek took the ball for the ninth time and struck out Stott at first, adding salt to his wound in the ninth inning. Stanek walked JT Realmuto, but a fly out by Brandon Marsh put the Phillies in the final. Kody Clemens came off the bench and had a long, hard hit against Stankek that ended with a run-scoring double and brought the Phillies within four runs.

Schwarber then bluffed a bunt(?) to start his attack. He didn't make a throw, flying to right to end the game and give the Mets a 1-0 lead in the best of five National League Division Series.

Tomorrow the Mets will throw Luis Severino to Cristopher Sánchez at 4:08 ET.

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What is WPA?

Big winner: Mark Vientos, +25.0% WPA
Big loser: José Iglesias, -15.5% WPA
Overall Pitcher WPA: +25.2% WPA
Total dough WPA: +24.8% WPA
The aw3s0mest game: RBI single by Vientos, +29.9% WPA
The sux0rest game: Kyle Schwarber's leadoff home run, -9.9% WPA