NEW YORK — The New York Mets proved once again they’re never out of a game at Citi Field. Brandon Nimmo delivered a ninth-inning walk-off single Tuesday night, lifting the Mets to a 6-5 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies and trimming the NL East gap to five games.
The Mets have now beaten Philadelphia in nine straight home matchups, a streak that includes last year’s postseason. Tuesday’s win was another example of the resilience manager Carlos Mendoza highlighted postgame.
“We just continue to punch back,” Mendoza told ESPN’s Jorge Castillo after the win in Queens.
It was a fitting description. After watching newly acquired reliever Ryan Helsley surrender a game-tying home run to Harrison Bader in the eighth, New York faced one of baseball’s toughest closers in Jhoan Duran. The Mets answered with four consecutive singles to start the ninth, capped by Nimmo’s opposite-field winner.
“The bats have been really coming alive over the last seven to 10 days,” Nimmo told Castillo. “We’re doing great on the road and come home and continue it. I think it’s just a testament to the guys paying attention to the little things.”
Starling Marte and Pete Alonso ripped line drives, Brett Baty added a bloop single, and Nimmo finished the rally against Duran, whose 102 mph fastball couldn’t keep New York’s hitters from stringing quality at-bats.
“We know what this offense is capable of,” Nimmo added. “It’s just going out and executing on a daily basis. The hottest team wins in the playoffs. It doesn’t matter who’s the best team.”
The win came despite another short outing from Sean Manaea, who struck out eight but lasted just 4⅔ innings, and more struggles from Helsley, who has allowed 10 earned runs in 11 appearances since being acquired at the deadline.
The bullpen issues were steadied by Edwin Diaz, who came on in the eighth with a runner on second and one out. Diaz escaped by striking out Brandon Marsh and Trea Turner, then fanned Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper in a dominant ninth that set up the walk-off.
“Where we are at now in the season, every game is super important,” Mendoza said. “Our job is to continue to win series. We got an opportunity to do something here against a pretty good team that’s in front of us.”
Nimmo’s swing sealed it, sending the Citi Field crowd into chaos and once again tightening the race atop the NL East.