PHILADELPHIA — Scott Kingery broke an eighth-inning tie with a three-run double, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Mets, 5-2, on Sunday night, averting a three-game sweep.
Brad Miller hit a solo homer and a double for the Phillies, who pulled within two and a half games of the Chicago Cubs for the second National League wild card.
Pete Alonso hit his 43rd homer, and Wilson Ramos extended his hitting streak to 25 games with a fourth-inning double for the Mets, who are four games behind the Cubs.
After the Mets tied the score at 2-2 on a wild pitch in the top of the eighth, Bryce Harper led off the bottom half with a single against Daniel Zamora (0-1), who had just been recalled from the minors. Jeurys Familia walked Rhys Hoskins before Miller flied out to deep center, allowing both runners to advance. Cesar Hernandez was intentionally walked, loading the bases for Kingery, who lined a 1-0 pitch into the left-center gap.
Hector Neris (3-5) got the final five outs for Philadelphia.
The Mets tied it in the eighth when Brandon Nimmo, playing in his first game since May 20 after sitting out with a neck injury, scored from third on a wild pitch by Neris during an adventurous inning.
The Mets put runners on second and third with one out for Jeff McNeil, who entered Sunday batting .326. But his slump reached 0 for 13 when he grounded to Hoskins at first base and Hoskins threw out Rajai Davis at the plate.
Davis slid headfirst on the play and took out the legs of the veteran umpire Joe West, who ended up lying on Davis for several seconds before being helped up by Neris and calling Davis out.
Neris was brought in after Mike Morin had allowed the first two batters to reach and Luis Guillorme’s sacrifice bunt advanced both runners.
Phillies starter Zach Eflin pitched seven stellar innings, allowing only Alonso’s first-inning homer and two other hits. But Manager Gabe Kapler elected to pinch-hit for Eflin in the seventh with Philadelphia ahead by 2-1 even though the right-handed Eflin had thrown just 84 pitches.
Mets starter Marcus Stroman also pitched well, giving up two runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and two walks in six-plus innings. He was lifted after Adam Haseley’s leadoff double in the seventh.
Miller was a late addition to the lineup after shortstop Jean Segura was scratched because of the death of his grandmother.