The New York Mets were overpowered by Zack Wheeler for seven innings in Game 1 of their NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies.
However, the momentum shifted in the Mets’ favor when Phillies manager Rob Thompson turned to the bullpen to begin the eighth inning.
After being held to just one hit by Wheeler, who threw 111 pitches, the Mets rallied in the top of the eighth. They scored five runs on five hits against three different Phillies relievers. Mark Vientos tied the game with an RBI single, followed by Brandon Nimmo’s go-ahead, opposite-field RBI single that put the Mets in the lead for good.
This marked the third time in six games that the Mets had mounted a comeback victory after trailing in the eighth inning or later.
The Mets ultimately won 6-2, securing a critical Game 1 road victory despite Wheeler’s strong performance. Kodai Senga, making just his second start of 2024, gave up a leadoff homer to Kyle Schwarber but settled in for two solid innings. Lefty David Peterson pitched three scoreless innings in relief, followed by Reed Garrett’s two shutout innings. Phil Maton and Ryne Stanek closed out the game, allowing manager Carlos Mendoza to preserve closer Edwin Diaz.
With the win, the Mets now hold an advantage in the best-of-five series and are two victories away from their first NLCS appearance since 2015. They’ll look to extend their lead on Sunday with Luis Severino set to take the mound.
