By Andy Larson
Alec Bohm followed an intentional walk to Bryce Harper with an RBI single in the 10th, J.T. Realmuto hit a three-run homer in the sixth and the Philadelphia Phillies moved closer to their second straight playoff appearance with a 5-4 win over the New York Mets.
Bohm drove in automatic runner Trea Turner with a single to right off Adam Ottavino (1-6).
Bohm there it is pic.twitter.com/WSbeEAmx4w
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 23, 2023
WATCH the headphones, guys pic.twitter.com/RCYmauUglo
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 23, 2023
“I feel pretty good about him getting it done,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said.
Phillies reliever Craig Kimbrel blew his fourth save of the season when Brett Baty took the closer deep in the ninth on a one-out tying solo shot to center that made it 4-all.
Baty’s dramatics were all the Mets could muster in the extra innings and they were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. The final swing that did them in came when Pete Alonso waved at strike three in the dirt against Seranthony Domínguez (5-5) that left the bases loaded in the 10th.
Behind a solid outing from Taijuan Walker, the defending NL champion Phillies moved their magic number to clinch a playoff berth to four. The Phillies, winners of six of eight, are four game ahead of Arizona for the first NL wild card.
“As much as you want to scoreboard watch and see how other teams are doing, we’re in a good position to just worry about ourselves,” Bohm said.
Realmuto’s homer off Mets starter Tylor Megill not only sent another packed house into a frenzy, it gave banged-up baserunner Harper an easy trot home.
Harper started the rally when Megill skipped a curveball that plunked the slugger’s left knee. Harper appeared in discomfort as he took his base, and seemed pained when his knee clocked second base on a slide off Bohm’s infield single. Thomson stood atop the dugout steps as he would when considering a pitching change, momentarily concerned as Harper bounced on the bag and tested his knee.
Realmuto took care of any further baserunning when he blasted his 20th homer into the left field seats.
Kyle Schwarber added an RBI single for his 100th RBI of the season in the seventh for a 4-2 lead.
Walker gave the Phillies what they needed to see as the right-hander tries down the stretch to shake off a string of so-so outings and solidify his spot in the postseason rotation.
Walker struck out four, gave up two runs and thwarted a rally when he picked off a baserunner at second base in the fifth. He gave up Alonso’s RBI double in the first and Brandon Nimmo’s RBI single in the fifth that made it 2-0.
