Brandon Nimmo dropped to one knee to lift up Mets.
The left fielder’s seventh-inning RBI single proved to be the game-winner in Saturday’s 6-3 victory over the first-place Phillies at Citi Field.
With the score tied 2-2, Nimmo reached across the strike zone and poked a low and outside sweeper from reliever Orion Kerkering into left field. The swing took Nimmo’s left knee to the ground, but he still got enough of it to drive in Starling Marte from second base for the go-ahead run.
The one-out hit started a three-run inning for the Mets, who Francisco Alvarez ending with a two-out, two-run double.
It was an eventful seventh inning for Nimmo, who robbed Phillies superstar Bryce Harper of an extra-base hit with a leaping catch against the wall in the top of the frame.
Edwin Diaz nailed a four-out save to earn the win for the Mets, who entered Saturday’s game with a two-game lead over the Braves for the second National League Wild Card spot.
The Mets continue to find ways to win without star shortstop Francisco Lindor, who missed his sixth straight game Saturday with lower back discomfort. The Mets are 5-1 in those games, with the only loss being Friday night’s 12-2 blowout of the Phillies.
Rookie phenom Luisangel Acuña has helped fill Lindor’s void, who hit another home run in Saturday’s win.
Acuña’s solo shot in the second inning gave the 22-year-old shortstop three homers in eight career games. Acuña – younger brother of injured Braves superstar Ronald Acuna Jr. — went 2-for-3 with a walk Saturday and is now hitting .385 with a 1.292 OPS since making his MLB debut last weekend.
The hitting heroics of Nimmo, Alvarez and Ronald Acuña came in support of starter Sean Manaea, who continues to establish himself as the Mets’ ace.
The left-hander limited the Phillies to three runs over seven-plus innings. He has now pitched seven innings in seven of his last 11 starts and has a 2.63 ERA over that stretch.
The Mets have won Manaea’s last eight starts.
A sellout crowd of 44,152 also saw Alvarez hit a solo home run in the second inning; Jose Iglesias extend his hitting streak to 15 games; and Pete Alonso added a bloop RBI single in the eighth.
The Mets will look to snap a four-game winning streak against the Phillies on Sunday night in their final home game of the regular season.
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