Brandon Nimmo delivered the decisive hit in the ninth as the New York Mets rallied for a 6-5 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field. Nimmo lined a clean single through a drawn-in infield to drive in the winning run, marking his fifth career walk-off RBI.
The Mets got a big lift from Pete Alonso, who had four hits, including a two-run double during a five-run fifth that put New York in front 5-2. Harrison Bader tied the game a little later with a two-run homer in the eighth off struggling reliever Ryan Helsley, the crowd of 41,914 booing Helsley as he left the mound.
Juan Soto and Mark Vientos also contributed RBI singles for the Mets, who have won four of five after a 5-16 stretch. The victory pulled New York within five games of first-place Philadelphia in the NL East and extended the Mets’ dominance at home against the Phillies, winning their ninth straight at Citi Field against their rival, including last year’s playoffs.
Bryce Harper and Bader each had three hits for the Phillies, who have struggled in Queens this season, including the 2024 postseason stretch of losses there.
In the ninth, the Mets loaded the bases with nobody out on singles by Starling Marte, Alonso and Brett Baty. Nimmo then delivered the walk-off with a line drive through the infield off closer Jhoan Duran (6-6).
Edwin Díaz worked 1 2/3 innings of perfect relief, striking out four of the five batters he faced.
The game featured a pivotal moment in the fifth when Jesús Luzardo plunked Luis Torrens with an 0-2 breaking ball to lead off the inning, and Harper’s two-run single off Gregory Soto gave Philadelphia a 2-0 lead. Luzardo was ejected after leaving the field following that sequence, while the Mets capitalized on the opportunity to surge back.
Key stat: Bader, who played for the Mets last season, went 9-for-14 against his former team this year, though he also committed a costly throwing error from center field in the fifth.
Up next: Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker (4-6, 3.44 ERA) faces one of his former clubs Wednesday night as impressive rookie Nolan McLean (2-0, 1.46) makes his third major league start for the Mets in the final game of the series.
What it means: The Mets continue to trend upward after a rough stretch, tightening the gap in the NL East and building momentum with a strong bullpen performance behind Díaz. For Philadelphia, the setback adds to a slide in Queens, where they’ve struggled historically, though Harper’s multi-hit night is a bright spot.
Summary: A dramatic comeback ended by Nimmo’s ninth-inning hit, capping a game that featured big Mets hits, a late rally by Philadelphia, and a pair of ejections that underscored the competitive edge of this rivalry. The Mets head into the next game aiming for a three-game sweep.