Phillies rout Mets to punch playoff ticket and near NL East crown

NEW YORK (AP) — Alec Bohm had four hits and four RBIs, including a three-run homer, and the Philadelphia Phillies wrapped up their third straight playoff berth in style by blowing out the New York Mets 12-2 on Friday night.

Nick Castellanos had three hits and two RBIs, J.T. Realmuto added a two-run homer and the Phillies (92-62) extended their NL East lead to seven games over the second-place Mets (85-69) with eight to play.

“I thought it was just a great night overall,” manager Rob Thomson said.

Assured at least a National League wild card, the Phillies can secure their first division title since 2011 with one more win this weekend against the rival Mets at Citi Field.

"We work really hard all season, six months for this,” winning pitcher Cristopher Sánchez said through a translator. “I think it's just something beautiful that this happened today. Something really special for us.”

With the division crown so close, the Phillies kept it mellow in the postgame clubhouse with a champagne toast to their achievement led by Thomson.

“Pretty calm and relaxed from what it usually turns into,” Bohm said with a chuckle.

They hope to let loose soon with a boozy locker-room bash after nailing down first place.

“It’ll be a little more rowdy, for sure,” Bohm said.

Philadelphia's victory coupled with Atlanta's 4-3 loss at last-place Miami eliminated the Braves from contention for the NL East crown — ending their six-year reign atop the division.

New York, which had won four in a row and 16 of 20, fell a game behind Arizona for the second of three NL wild cards. But the Mets remained two games ahead of Atlanta for the league's last playoff spot.

A cheer went up in the crowd of 41,474, subdued after an energetic start, when the final score of Atlanta's game was posted on the out-of-town scoreboard.

Philadelphia stole a season-best five bases — four in a six-run fourth inning capped by Bohm's homer off reliever Adam Ottavino. Johan Rojas had a two-run double off starter David Peterson (9-3), pulled after just 64 pitches and 3 2/3 innings — his shortest start this season.

“Thought the second time through they were putting together some really good at-bats,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “They made some good adjustments and they put the barrel on the ball. I thought I needed to be aggressive there. It didn’t work.”

Sánchez (11-9) overcame a shaky start and a career-high five walks in five innings. Philadelphia outhit the Mets 17-4.

“I liked our approach against Peterson. He’s really good," Thomson said. "I think that seeing him the second time in a week helped.”

Jose Iglesias launched his first career leadoff homer for New York, pushing his hitting streak to 14 games.

Mets slugger J.D. Martinez went 0 for 3 with a walk and is hitless in 31 at-bats, the longest skid of his career.

“It’s been tough. It’s been hard for him,” Mendoza said. “But he’s grinding and he will continue to grind through it.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Phillies: OF Austin Hays (kidney infection) worked out the past two days at Citi Field and will be the DH in a rehab game Saturday with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He is scheduled to play the field Sunday and potentially come off the injured list Tuesday. ... RHP Spencer Turnbull (right lat strain) is slated to throw two innings Sunday for Lehigh Valley and then return to the team's training complex in Florida to continue rehabbing. Thomson didn't completely rule out the possibility of Turnbull pitching for the Phillies in the postseason. Turnbull has been on the injured list since June 27.

Mets: Francisco Lindor (sore back) has missed five straight games and played only one inning in the past seven. He received a numbing injection for the facet joints on each side of the spine. “Trying to do whatever it takes to come back as soon as I can. Without it,” Lindor said, “it didn’t feel like I could get back sooner rather than later.” The star shortstop ran, played catch and took a couple rounds of batting practice from the right side. Before the game, Mendoza said if Lindor felt good enough to get through baseball activities, it's possible he could return to the lineup Saturday. ... RHP Kodai Senga (strained left calf) will throw no more than two innings and 30-35 pitches in a rehab outing Saturday for Triple-A Syracuse. If all goes well, he could come off the 60-day injured list and be available to pitch in some role Friday at Milwaukee. “Ultimately we'll have to make a judgment call on what's best for the team,” president of baseball operations David Stearns said. ... C Francisco Alvarez and OF Tyrone Taylor were rested.

UP NEXT

All-Star lefty Ranger Suárez (12-7, 3.13 ERA) pitches Saturday for Philadelphia against Mets LHP Sean Manaea (11-5, 3.26), who has lasted at least 6 2/3 innings in seven consecutive outings.

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