Mets beat 7-2 Phillies in NLDS to take 2-1 lead behind Alonso and Mania

NEW YORK (AP) – 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, grab a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five set.

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.

“We're looking to get it over with and done with. They are looking to try and extend the series and get back to Philadelphia. So it's a battle of wills tomorrow and we'll see what happens,” New York outfielder Brandon Nimmo said.

After reaching the 2022 World Series and Game 7 of last year's NLCS, NL East champion Phillies On the brink of its first 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 all about. They're all about tenacity and fighting and playing together. That's what we have to do and just focus on one game. Must do.”

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.

He brought his glove to his lips and looked up at the sky.

“It was for my Aunt Mabel. Just got a message this morning that he passed away,” Mania said. “So that game was for him.”

Aided by Tyrone Taylor's great throw from deep center field that cut off a runner at second base in the fourth, Manaya earned his first playoff win and entered 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,” teammates Francisco Lindor Says “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.

“Got right after,” 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 usually 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,” Alonso said. “He's a well-polished guy and he's tough. I'm happy to be right there 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.

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

Harper and Castellanos each hit RBI singles in the eighth, but Ryan Stanek was retired. Drooping Alec Bohm to end the innings.

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.

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Suarez, who went 2-0 with a 2.30 ERA in three outings against the Mets this season, had a 6.04 ERA through September five in just 22 1/3 innings started. But he and the Phillies are confident Suarez (12-8, 3.46 ERA) has found a mechanical fix after throwing well in an intrasquad game last week.

“What happens in September stays in September. It's time to turn the page. I just forgot about it,” Suarez said through a translator. “We are October Vibes.”

Quintana (10-10, 3.75 ERA) pitched six shutout innings in Milwaukee last Thursday, taking a no-decision in the deciding Game 3 of a Wild Card series. He was 1-0 with a 2.81 ERA in three starts vs. the Phillies this year and threw 5 1/3 scoreless innings of two-hit ball against them for St. Louis in the 2022 playoffs.

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