Phillies one loss from elimination after losing 7-2 in the NL Division Series to the Mets

NEW YORK (AP) — The Philadelphia Phillies’ six months of success could be wiped out before the tables begin to turn.

Another loss to the New York Mets would make a 95-win regular season irrelevant.

“As a group, this is as close to death as we’ve ever gotten, so in some ways we should be feeling the most alive,” Nick Castellanos said after the Phillies fell from a 2-1 deficit in Tuesday night’s 7-2 loss the best-of-five of the NL Division Series “It’s just one more time to relax and leave it all on the field, and however the dice land, it will land.”

Philadelphia is one loss away from taking another step backwards. Looking for their third World Series title after 1980 and 2008, the 2022 Phillies reached Game 6 of the World Series before losing to Houston. Last year they took a 3-2 lead against Arizona in the NL Championship Series and then lost Games 6 and 7 at home.

Castellanos spoke in a clubhouse so quiet that the rain showers in the next room sounded like waterfalls.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson addressed the team after the final game.

“I told them it’s the most resilient club I’ve ever played for,” he said. “That’s what they’re all about. For them it’s all about toughness, fighting and playing together. That’s what we have to do and just focus on one game.”

Philadelphia fell behind 2-0 in Game 3 in New York on home runs by Pete Alonso in the second and Jesse Winker in the fourth against Aaron Nola.

Sean Manaea pitched five innings for the Mets, but he lost control and started the sixth with walks to Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner.

Bryce Harper struck out three throws.

“First pitch change. I thought it was a really good pitch and then he threw me two banger sliders,” Harper said.

Thomson saw it this way: “Exactly the situation when he’s trying to do too much, get the club – load the club on his shoulders,” said the manager.

Castellanos served shortstop Francisco Lindor, who moved to second baseman Jose Iglesias to double Schwarber for an inning-ending double play.

“He gave me a good change. I stayed and did it,” Castellanos said. “A little to the left, a little to the right, first and third runs, results.”

That began a stretch in which the Phillies made six outs in 13 pitches, part of an offense that hit .204 in the three games.

The evening in Philadelphia began promisingly: While Schwarber, Turner and Harper were eliminated in order, they all hit balls in excess of 106 miles per hour.

Nola walked with the bases loaded and no outs in the sixth, and Starling Marte’s two-run, two-out single off Orion Kerkering opened a four-run lead. The Phillies trailed 6-0 before Harper and Castellanos hit RBI singles in the eighth.

Attention turned to Game 4 on Wednesday night when Philadelphia’s Ranger Suárez takes on Jose Quintana. While Suárez is 3-1 with a 1.62 ERA in seven postseason starts and two relief appearances, he is 0-2 with an 8.25 ERA in his last three regular-season appearances.

“We are now in October, so the atmosphere and the mood is different,” he said.

Schwarber’s leadoff home run in the opener is Philadelphia’s only run in the series through the first five innings. He said Thomson’s message resonated.

“We have confidence in ourselves and we have confidence in this group, that this is a very talented club and that we’ve been through a lot of different things,” Schwarber said. “It’s just another challenge, isn’t it? And for us, it’s about coming together and finding a way to win a game and get back to Philadelphia.”

Game 5 would take place on Friday at Citizens Bank Park. With a home record of 54-27, the Phillies topped the major leagues.

“If we can get a win here, I know they won’t want to go back to Philadelphia for Game 5,” Castellanos said.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB