New York Mets Dominate Phillies Behind Raucous Crowd, Take Control Of NLDS
For the first time in Major League Baseball playoff history, all four division series entered play on Tuesday tied at one. The first game to break the tie in the NLDS between the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies resulted in a resounding 7-2 win for New York. And an opportunity for the Citi Field crowd to show off its singing skills.
Star shortstop Francisco Lindor uses The Temptations classic "My Girl" as his walk-up song, and told reporters before the game he'd be excited to hear everyone in the crowd join in singing it.
"I know if I don’t get that timeout the fans are going to continue to sing the song," he said prior to the game. "I think it’s going to be a good vibe. I’m excited, like I said, I’m really excited. I can’t wait to hear my walk-up song. Damn, it’s going to be a special moment for sure. A special day for everybody."
Sure enough, the crowd joined in, finishing the next few lines of the song in impressive unison.
Playoff baseball is the best.
Mets fans had plenty more reasons to celebrate throughout the game, starting with an opposite-field home run from Pete Alonso.
Behind a dominant performance from starting pitcher Sean Manaea, New York never looked back.
NEW YORK - New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) celebrates scoring with outfielder Brandon Nimmo (9) on a two-runf single by outfielder Starling Marte (not pictured) in the sixth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during game three of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Citi Field on Oct. 8. Photo: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Mets Add To Lead, Take Control Over NLDS Against Rival Phillies
New York kept adding on; a fourth inning upper deck homer from Jesse Winker off Aaron Nola made the score 2-0.
Manaea escaped a sixth inning jam by striking out Bryce Harper on three pitches with first and second and no one out, then getting Nick Castellanos to hit into an inning-ending line drive double play. Starling Marte took advantage, delivering a two-run single with two outs to stretch the lead to four. Jose Iglesias singled home two more in the seventh, and though the Phillies made it briefly interesting in the eighth inning, the Mets cruised home with a 7-2 win.
While the series is far from over, and the Phillies have the offense to erase virtually any deficit, the result once again highlights that the bye and layoff is hardly a benefit for playoff teams. Philadelphia needed a walk-off to beat New York on Sunday, and the Mets remarkable run of two-out, late inning heroics continues. When a lineup gets into a rhythm the likes of which New York's lineup has, it's hard to stop.
Game four will be tomorrow back at Citi Field at 5:08pm Eastern, with the Mets looking to secure an unlikely trip to the NLCS, and the Phillies hoping to send the series back to Citizens Bank Park.