The magical Mets won Game 3, pushing the Phillies to the brink

NEW YORK — Pete Alonso launched another homer off Aaron Nola and Sean Mania pitched a two-hit shutout in the eighth inning as the New York Mets beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-2 in Game 3 of their NL Division Series on Tuesday.

Jesse Winker also went deep and Starling Marte had a key two-run single to help the wild-card Mets, playing their first home game in 16 days, take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series.

In Game 4 Wednesday, All-Star Ranger Suarez is scheduled to start against fellow rookie Jose Quintana in Philadelphia. A win advances New York to the National League Championship Series to face the Los Angeles Dodgers or San Diego Padres.

The Mets have never had a clinching celebration at Citi Field, which opened in 2009.

“It would be great to get it done, but we have to stay within ourselves,” Alonso said.

After reaching the 2022 World Series and Game 7 of last year's NLCS, the NL East champion Phillies are on the brink of an early playoff exit at the hands of the rival Mets.

“I know I've spoken to the team,” manager Rob Thomson said. “Basically, it's very simple: you come here tomorrow, and I told them this is the most resilient club I've ever been around. That's what they're about. They're all about toughness and fighting and playing together. That's what we have to do and just focus on one game. .”

Mania was lifted after allowing an infield single to start the eighth. The big left-hander, who blossomed into New York's ace in the second half of the season, received hearty pats on the chest from teammates and a standing ovation from the towel-waving sellout crowd of 44,093 as he walked off the mound.

Aided by some great pitching from Tyrone Taylor in center field, Manaaya picked up his first playoff win to enter 0-3 with a 10.66 ERA in his postseason career. He struck out six and walked two.

“It seemed like he wanted this moment,” teammate Francisco Lindor said. “He gave it his all.”

Leading 2-0, Mania escaped major trouble in the sixth. After drawing consecutive walks to start the inning, he received a mound visit from pitching coach Jeremy Hefner and struck out star slugger Bryce Harper on three off-speed pitches.

“Just went right after him,” Mania said.

Nick Castellanos then turned into an inning-ending double play, as the Mets' middle infield doubled Kyle Schwarber to second base. A pumped-up mania shouted “Let's go!” As he bounced off the mound.

Alonso sent Nola's first pitch to second deep to right field. When the ball reached the front row of the second deck, he flipped his bat in the air on his way to first base.

It was Alonso's second home run of the series and third in New York's past four playoff games. All of them have gone to the opposite field — the slugger has gone the other way in just four of his 34 homers in the regular season.

“Wherever it goes out, if it does, I'm glad it does,” Alonso said. “If I'm hitting the ball differently, that's a good sign.”

Nola and Alonso have been squaring off since their college days in the Southeastern Conference, but the matchup has been one-sided in the majors. It was Alonso's sixth career homer off a right-handed batter after entering 54 career plate appearances with a right-handed batting average and 1.050 OPS.

“He knows me. I know him. He's a great, talented pitcher,” Alonso said. “He's a tough AB. I'm glad I came out for the team.”

Thompson left Nola on the mound in the sixth to face Alonso, who drew New York's second straight walk after Mark Vientos' leadoff single.

With the bases loaded, Orion Kerkering replaced Nola and got two outs before Mart's two-run single made it 4-0.

Brandon Nimmo and Alonso drew back-to-back walks to load the bases again in the seventh, before Jose Iglesias added a two-run single with two outs off Jose Ruiz.

Harper and Castellanos each hit RBI singles in the eighth, but Ryne Stanek retired Alec Boehm to end the inning.

Lindor, playing his first home game since Sept. 8 because of a back injury, delivered a run-scoring double in the bottom half to make it 7-2.

An excited Winker connected for a single in the fourth and looked all the way from home plate as his first career season homer soared into the second deck in right.