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Phillies win Game 2 in stunning comeback against the Mets; Nick Castellanos comes through in the clutch

The Phillies and Mets are now tied 1-1 in the NLDS. Game 3 is Tuesday in New York.

Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos celebrates after knocking in the game-winning run against the Mets in Game 2 of the NLDS.
Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos celebrates after knocking in the game-winning run against the Mets in Game 2 of the NLDS.Read more
Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
What you should know
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  1. The Phillies defeated the Mets 7-6 in a stunning Game 2 comeback Sunday night. The NLDS is now tied 1-1, with Game 3 on Tuesday in New York.

  2. Nick Castellanos appeared frustrated by Phillies fans mocking his at-bat in the fourth inning, but rebounded to deliver the game-winning hit in the bottom of the ninth.

  3. Bryce Harper extending rallies and made key defensive plays in an electrifying performance.

  4. In a surprising move, manager Rob Thomson opted to start Edmundo Sosa over Alec Bohm at third base. Bohm has been struggling since returning from injury last month.

  5. Here’s the full 2024 MLB playoffs TV schedule.

Pinned
Oct. 6, 7:52 p.m. ET
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Nick Castellanos goes from boos to roars in Philies' thrilling Game 2 win

For the first five innings on Sunday, every slider that Phillies hitters chased low and away felt like another nail in their coffin.

For his first two at-bats against the Mets, Nick Castellanos had been one of their worst offenders — so much so, that holding off on a ball earned him sarcastic cheers from the Citizens Bank Park crowd.

Oct. 6, 7:45 p.m. ET
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'It's time to keep going, baby'

Oct. 6, 7:24 p.m. ET
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‘Mr. Walk-off delivers again’: Scott Franzke’s call of Nick Castellanos’ game-winner

Oct. 6, 7:33 p.m. ET
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Bryce Harper: Game 3 in New York is going to be 'a pretty hostile environment'

Oct. 6, 7:22 p.m. ET
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'I'm exhausted': Phillies fans go wild following heart-stopping win

Half an hour after the Phillies sealed a come-from-behind win in Game 2 of the NLDS, Joe Catoe was still smiling.

“I’m exhausted,” said Catoe, “but we did it.”

Oct. 6, 7:23 p.m. ET
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Nick Castellanos wins Game 2 for the Phillies

Oct. 6, 7:19 p.m. ET
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A game of inches

Oct. 6, 7:02 p.m. ET
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Mets tie the Phillies on ninth-inning homer

Oct. 6, 6:54 p.m. ET
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Phillies fans get loud as Matt Strahm comes in for the save

Oct. 6, 6:45 p.m. ET
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Phillies retake the lead on Bryson Stott triple and add an insurance run

Oct. 6, 6:34 p.m. ET
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Kyle Schwarber strikes out, but did he even swing?

Oct. 6, 6:32 p.m. ET
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Phillies Jesus is here for your comeback hopes

With the Phillies backs to the wall, Joseph McClelland knew what he had to do.

McClelland, veteran of 13 years of Catholic school, went to Game 2 of the NLDS dressed as Phillies Jesus - long white robe, red stole that he periodically waved in lieu of a rally towel - because the team needed a miracle, he said.

Oct. 6, 6:03 p.m. ET
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Citizens Bank Park got loud after Bryce Harper's homer

Oct. 6, 6:09 p.m. ET
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Mets retake the lead on Brandon Nimmo homer

Oct. 6, 6:00 p.m. ET
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Ahead of Phillies rally, fans were getting nervous

As the Mets took a 3-0 lead, there were a few pockets of positivity left in Citizens Bank Park, but mostly, uncertainty abounded.

“Baseball is a momentum game and the Phillies don’t have it,” said Zach Martine. “I’m really nervous.”

Oct. 6, 5:59 p.m. ET
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Phillies tie the game on back-to back homers

After Phillies fans mockingly cheered for Nick Castellanos in the fourth inning when he didn’t swing at a pitch that bounced two feet in front of the plate, he later gave Citizens Bank Park a real reason to cheer.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Castellanos followed suit to Bryce Harper with back-to-back home runs, leading to a tie game at 3-3.

Oct. 6, 5:42 p.m. ET
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Mets extend lead over Phillies with Pete Alonzo homer

Mercilessly booed every at-bat at Citizens Bank Park so far in the NLDS, Mets slugger Pete Alonso, who was 0-for-6 with four strikeouts, ripped a leadoff homer off Jose Ruiz to start the sixth inning ... and blew a kiss to the Phillies fans as he rounded first base. 

– Marcus Hayes

Oct. 6, 5:36 p.m. ET
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Bryce Harper's defense among the few Phillies highlights so far

First base is the easiest place to play on the diamond. Bryce Harper is an elite athlete. A converted right-fielder, Harper moved to first last season to preserve his oft-injured body.

He's a natural.

Oct. 6, 5:20 p.m. ET
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Nick Castellanos appeared frustrated at Phillies fans

After Nick Castellanos swung and missed at a pitch a foot off the plate and low to go down, 0-2, in the fourth inning, he did not swing at a pitch that bounced 2 feet in front of the plate. The savvy fandom at CBP cheered his discipline – mockingly, of course.

TV cameras caught Castellanos' reaction to the Bronx (Queens?) cheer. It looked a lot like he muttered, "These (Bleeping) people."

Oct. 6, 4:57 p.m. ET
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Luis Severino has nasty stuff against the Phillies today

Oct. 6, 4:44 p.m. ET
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Mets take early lead over Phillies on Mark Vientos home run

Oct. 6, 4:33 p.m. ET
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Phillies defense tightens up after Edmundo Sosa error

Edmundo Sosa is the Phillies' best defensive player, and ostensibly an upgrade over struggling Alec Bohm at third base, but his throwing error put Mets shortstop Jose Iglesias on second base with nobody out in the second inning.

No problem.

Oct. 6, 4:08 p.m. ET
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Phillies-Mets game underway in South Philly

Game 2 of the National League divisional series between the Phillies and New York Mets is underway.

Lefty Cristopher Sánchez is on the mound for the Phillies, who opted to hold back Aaron Nola for Game 3 Tuesday. 

Oct. 6, 3:42 p.m. ET
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Roger Clemens got to watch Kody's first playoff hit

Roger Clemens, who, at 62, still looked fit enough to throw a couple of innings of relief for the Phillies, exited the executive suites at Citizens Bank Park beaming with happiness. Clemens is no Mets fan — ask Mike Piazza — and he just saw his kid’s team lose a playoff game in the final two innings.

So why was “Rocket Roger” so happy?

Oct. 6, 3:18 p.m. ET
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'Let’s shimmy our way back'

It’s not hard to miss Adrienne Laguda at a Phillies game. She’ll be the one with the green hair, dancing her heart out in front of the crowd with a sign that says “Phree Shimmy Lessons.”

Laguda’s sign was inspired by her husband Joe’s appearance in a Phillies commercial, where he was shown doing the shimmy.

Oct. 6, 2:50 p.m. ET
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Photos: Phillies prepare for Game 2 against the Mets

Oct. 6, 1:44 p.m. ET
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How are Phillies fans feeling heading into Game 2?

The Mets silenced fans in Citizens Bank Park after stunning the Phillies in Game 1 with a 6-2 come-from-behind win — racking up five runs in the eighth inning.

The Phillies offense and bullpen let them down last night. But another factor that could have played a role in the loss: rust. At least that's what some fans were speculating on Sunday ahead of Game 2.

Oct. 6, 1:31 p.m. ET
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A game of shadows: Were Schwarber's sunglasses the key?

The Mets and the Phillies combined for three hits across the first seven innings of Game 1, and several players pointed to shadows on the field as a reason why. In the late afternoon on Saturday, the sun cast shadows over the mound, while the batter’s eye in center field remained bright. The result made it difficult for hitters to pick up the ball out of the pitcher’s hand.

Unfortunately, Game 2 has an identical 4:08 p.m. start, with clear weather in the forecast. So both teams will likely face the same problems today.

Oct. 6, 1:24 p.m. ET
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Kyle Schwarber: 'We have to respond today'

The Phillies lamented how they wasted Zack Wheeler’s gem in their Game 1 loss to the Mets in the NLDS, but a day later, Kyle Schwarber reminded everyone of the obvious.

“Yeah, it's a series, right? That's why it's a series. Do you want to win the first game of the series? Absolutely,” Schwarber said on Sunday before Game 2 at Citizens Bank Park. “You feel like you have a great performance yesterday from Wheeler, which was phenomenal, and we just weren't able to finish it. And that's baseball sometimes. And that's why there's a series.

Oct. 6, 1:05 p.m. ET
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Why the Phillies benched Alec Bohm in favor of Edmundo Sosa

Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm is not in the starting lineup for Sunday’s Game 2 of the National League Division Series against the Mets, replaced by Edmundo Sosa. Manager Rob Thomson said he wanted to get “some energy” in the lineup with Sosa in place of the struggling Bohm.

“He’s kind of our energy guy,” Thomson said of Sosa. “Bohm’s not swinging the bat particularly well, but he’s not the only one. He’s frustrated. But I just wanted to get Sosa in there.”

Oct. 6, 11:57 a.m. ET
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Alec Bohm is out of the Phillies' Game 2 lineup

Alec Bohm is not in the starting lineup for Sunday’s Game 2 against the Mets. He will be replaced at third base by Edmundo Sosa. Bohm went 0-for-4 in Game 1 and smashed his helmet in the eighth inning after grounding out.

Manager Rob Thomson told reporters before the game that Bohm isn't injured, but that he's instead looking to inject some energy into the lineup by putting Sosa at third base.

— Matt Breen

Oct. 6, 11:19 a.m. ET
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Murphy: Phillies blew a big opportunity in Game 1

Blame the manager, blame the rust, blame the format, blame whatever culprit you want. A baseball team has nine hitters, a starting pitcher, and a bullpen. It is difficult to win a game when only two of those players show up. It is devastating when it happens in Game 1 of a five-game series.

“Get up and fight,” Nick Castellanos said after the Phillies dropped their first Game 1 of the current playoff era. “That’s all we can do.”

Oct. 6, 9:55 a.m. ET
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Phillies will try to 'flip the switch' in Game 2. That's easier said than done.

Trea Turner walked into the Phillies clubhouse at 7:55 p.m. on Saturday. He was in full uniform, with a bat in each hand. Their 6-2 loss to the Mets in Game 1 of the National League Division Series had ended a half an hour earlier, but the Phillies shortstop wanted to take some extra swings.

So, he stepped into the cage, as assistant hitting coach Rafael Peña fired pitch after pitch. He saw dozens of them, maybe 100.

Oct. 6, 8:57 a.m. ET
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The Mets have all the momentum — and have for quite some time

A pumpkin sat Saturday night on the top shelf of Pete Alonso’s locker, three oversize letters — OMG — were on the clubhouse floor, and a staffer cleaned the dirt off a pair of cleats inspired by Ronald McDonald’s best friend. The Mets came to Philly with a playoff pumpkin, an anthem sung by their 34-year-old infielder, and an affinity for Grimace. They also carried with them the momentum from a wild week, a ride that stunned the Phillies in the opener of the National League Division Series.

“We’ve been doing this all year,” Alonso said after the Mets’ 6-2 win. “We’re just a gritty bunch. It’s a special group. It’s a great vibe. A lot of good things are going our way right now.”

Oct. 6, 8:32 a.m. ET
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Hayes: NLDS Game 1 felt familiar in the worst ways

The worm turned quickly.

Boos descended as the ball settled into J.T. Realmuto’s mitt, the third out of an inning that will live in infamy.

Oct. 6, 8:14 a.m. ET
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Where's Bryce? A questionable pitching decisions? Here what we're watching for in Game 2.

Scott Lauber: Has anyone seen Bryce Harper? Or Trea Turner? The Phillies are 16-for-95 (.168) and slugging .284 in NLCS Games 6-7 last year and Game 1 vs. the Mets, all at home. Small sample? That’s all there will be if it doesn’t change Sunday.

Matt Breen: Cristopher Sánchez has been much better at home this season than the road. But how will the least experienced starter handle the pressure of what feels like a must-win game? The decision to start Sánchez could decide this series. Will they regret not starting Aaron Nola?

Oct. 6, 7:49 a.m. ET
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How to watch and stream Game 2 of Phillies-Mets

Game 2 of Phillies-Mets is scheduled to begin at 4:08 p.m. Eastern on Fox.

Calling the game will be play-by-play announcer Adam Amin. In the booth alongside Amin will be analysts A.J. Pierzynski and Adam Wainwright. Tom Verducci will report from Citizens Bank Park.

Oct. 6, 7:21 a.m. ET
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Full Phillies-Mets NLDS schedule

Here's a look at the remaining games in the Phillies-Mets series after New York took a 1-0 series lead on Saturday ...

  1. Game 1: Mets 6, Phillies 2

  2. Game 2: Mets at Phillies: Sunday, Oct. 6, 4:08 p.m. (FS1, 94.1 WIP)

  3. Game 3: Phillies at Mets: Tuesday, Oct. 8, 5:08 p.m. (FS1, 94.1 WIP)

  4. Game 4: Phillies at Mets: Wednesday, Oct. 9, 5:08 p.m. (FS1, 94.1 WIP)*

  5. Game 5: Mets at Phillies, Friday, Oct. 11, 4:08 p.m. (FS1, 94.1 WIP)*

* - If necessary. Time subject to change pending other outcomes.

— Matt Mullin