Brandon Nimmo homered leading off the sixth inning, and the surging New York Mets once again prevented the visiting Philadelphia Phillies from clinching the National League East title with a 2-1 win Sunday night in the finale of a four-game series.
The Mets (87-69) took three of four from the Phillies (92-64), who would have clinched the division with a win either Saturday or Sunday.
New York, which is 18-5 in its last 23 games, moved into a tie for the second NL wild-card spot with the Arizona Diamondbacks, who lost to the Milwaukee Brewers 10-9. The two teams are two games ahead of the Atlanta Braves, whom the Mets visit for a three-game series beginning Tuesday.
Alec Bohm had an RBI single in the first for the Phillies, who left the bases loaded against Tylor Megill. The Mets built their tying rally with two outs in the second against Zack Wheeler (16-7) when Mark Vientos doubled and scored on Tyrone Taylor’s single.
The teams combined to get just one runner into scoring position over the next three innings before Nimmo hit Wheeler’s first pitch of the sixth just beyond the right field wall.
Mets relievers Phil Maton (3-3), Jose Butto and Edwin Diaz combined for five innings of one-hit ball. Diaz, who got a four-out save in Saturday’s 6-3 win, recorded the final six outs Sunday to notch his 20th save.
The right-hander surrendered a one-out single in the eighth to Trea Turner, who stole second and third but was stranded when Diaz retired Bohm on a grounder to short. Diaz walked Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh in the ninth before striking out Kody Clemens to end the game.
It was Diaz’s first six-out save since Aug. 4, 2022.
Jose Iglesias went 2-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 16 games. Taylor also finished with two hits.
Turner and Nick Castellanos each had two hits for the Phillies.
Megill allowed one run on four hits and two walks while striking out six over four innings.
Wheeler took the hard-luck loss after giving up the two runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out eight over seven innings.
