PHILADELPHIA (AP) — New York’s bullpen went from lights out to lit up.
Edwin Diaz failed to seal what would have been the first seven-out save of his big league career when he faltered in the eighth inning and Tylor Megill unraveled after he recorded two quick outs in the ninth.
Diaz and Megill combined to walk three and allowed four runs over the final two innings. Bryson Stott and Nick Castellanos delivered the hits that dropped the Mets even with the Phillies in the NL Division Series heading to Citi Field following Philadelphia’s 7-6 win on Sunday night.
“You’re trying to stay away from different guys, because you’re going to need all of them, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. ”Not only the high-leverage reliever guys are going to be in the game and I’m going to ask them to get huge outs. Everybody is going to have to contribute.”
The Mets had churned through the bullpen during a late-season surge that took them to the final day to clinch a playoff spot in Atlanta and then and exhausting three-game Wild Card Series games in Milwaukee.
Maybe an off day Monday will give the bullpen a needed break.
Megill retired the first two batters of the ninth and walked Trea Turner and Bryce Harper. Castellanos followed with the Phillies’ fifth career postseason walk-off hit.
“It obviously feels horrible. Walk-off. Not the way you want it to go,” Megill said.
With the bullpen running thin, Mendoza knew Megill was put in a tough spot in the ninth.
“When you’re facing that part of the order, it’s one after another, you know? So he was careful with Turner. He can take you deep, as well,” Mendoza said. “And then obviously you’ve got to pitch around Harper and we just left that slider. I think it was too good of a pitch for Castellanos, and that’s another good hitter, and made him pay.”
Diaz, who had 20 saves in 27 chances this season, struck out home run threat Kyle Schwarber with two on to end the seventh inning.
He walked Harper and Castellanos in the eighth, and Stott lined a slider into right field for a two-RBI triple and a 5-4 lead. Díaz, who has a 9.37 ERA at Citizens Bank Park, was removed after throwing 104 pitches in three outings over a seven-day span.
J.T. Realmuto hit a run-scoring grounder off Megill that made it 6-4.
“After the walk to Harper, I went lazy to him instead of attacking him,” Diaz said. “I tried to make pitches to see if he could chase. Castellanos, I pitched him like I always do.”
The bullpen collapse was in stark contrast to the outstanding effort in Game 1 when three relievers pitched six shutout innings.
“This is a big moment for us,” Diaz said. “I’ve got to be ready, always.”
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