NEW YORK (AP) — Brandon Nimmo hit a tiebreaking, sixth-inning home run off Zack Wheeler that sailed just over the glove of leaping right fielder Nick Castellanos, and the New York Mets beat Philadelphia 2-1 on Sunday night to prevent the Phillies from clinching the NL East at Citi Field. Edwin Díaz got his second career six-out save, his first since since Aug. 4, 2022.
He stranded Trea Turner at third when Alec Bohm grounded out in the eighth and Bryson Stott at third in the ninth when Johan Rojas struck out. “We’ve been protecting him the whole year and now it’s big boys time,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. New York (87-69) took three of four from the Phillies and has won 18 of its last 23 games to move a season-high 18 games over .
500. The Mets passed Arizona into the second of three NL wild card slots, ahead of the Diamondbacks because they won the season series 4-3, and stayed two games ahead of the Braves (85-71). New York finishes the regular season with three games each at Atlanta and Milwaukee.
Philadelphia (92-64) needs one win in its last six games to clinch its first NL East title since 2011. The Phillies host the Chicago Cubs in a three-game series starting Monday night. “Hopefully we get it done because that'll be exciting,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said.
Nimmo led off the sixth with his 22nd homer, breaking a 1-1 tie when he pulled a first-pitch fastball over the 8-foot fence. “This is playoff atmosphere, playoff baseball and really you.