The Mets did it again, rallying in the late innings to pull off a vital 6-2 win over the Phillies in Game 1 of the NLDS on Saturday in Philadelphia.

They scored five runs in the eighth inning to overcome a 1-0 deficit. As a result, they have a 1-0 lead in this best-of-five-game series, with Game 2 on Sunday in Philly.

Here are some takeaways...

- After being shut down by Zack Wheeler for seven innings, the Mets jumped all over the Phillies’ bullpen, rallying for five runs in the top of the eighth against three different relievers.

It was the third time in the last six days the Mets have rallied in the eighth or ninth innings to overcome a deficit. It was also the 56th time this season, including the postseason, that the Mets have scored four or more runs in an inning, which is the most in the majors.

- Five Mets pitchers, starting with surprise starter Kodai Senga, shut down a Phillies offense that was averaging over five runs a game in Citizens Bank Park. Senga gave up the only run on a leadoff homer to Kyle Schwarber, from there David Peterson pitched three innings, then Reed Garrett the next two. After the Mets took the lead, Phil Maton pitched a scoreless eighth, working out of trouble as he got Alec Bohm to ground out to third to end the inning with runners at first and third.

Finally, Ryne Stanek closed it out after the Mets tacked on with a run in the ninth, which allowed Carlos Mendoza to stay away from Edwin Diaz who has thrown 105 pitches in three outings since last Sunday.

- The eighth-inning rally started with Francisco Alvarez’s line-drive single to left-center against right-hander Jeff Hoffman, followed by Francisco Lindor working out a seven-pitch walk. Mark Vientos then did a nice job getting his his bat on a 1-2 slider, looping it down the left-field line for a single to tie the game.

The Phillies brought in lefty Matt Strahm and Brandon Nimmo promptly lined a single to left to put the Mets ahead 2-1. Pete Alonso followed with a deep sacrifice fly to center, making it 3-1. After Jose Iglesias singled to center, J.D. Martinez pinch-hit a line single to center off the third reliever of the inning, Orion Kerkering, making it 4-1. Starling Marte added another deep sacrifice fly to finish the scoring.

- For seven innings Wheeler overmatched his former team, throwing a shutout while allowing just one hit and three walks, racking up nine strikeouts and a whopping 30 swings-and-misses. The 30 whiffs represent a career-high for Wheeler and the third most in a post-season game during the pitch-tracking era (208), according to Sarah Langs. Gerrit Cole had 32 in 2019 and Tim Lincecum had 31 in 2010, most by any pitcher in a post-season in the last five years.

The Phillies’ ace has excelled as a post-season pitcher. He now has a 2.18 ERA in 70 post-season innings, spanning 11 starts and one relief appearance.

- Other than a middle-middle fastball that Schwarber launched for a leadoff home run, Kodai Senga looked sharp in his two-inning return to the mound, especially considering the circumstances, pitching in a postseason game after missing virtually the entire season.

Senga allowed only a walk through the rest of his outing while striking out three hitters and getting mostly routine outs as he threw 31 pitches. His ghost fork got him some key swings-and-misses.

Senga hadn’t pitched since July 26, his only start of the season, when he went 5 1/3 innings against the Atlanta Braves before straining a calf muscle. If he pitches again in the series, he presumably would be able to throw something around 50 pitches.

- David Peterson pitched three scoreless innings in relief of Senga, making big pitches with runners in scoring position in each inning to get out of trouble. Most notably Peterson struck out Bryce Harper swinging to end the bottom of the fifth, leaving Johan Rojas on second base.

Game MVP(s): Mets’ five-man tag team of pitchers

The Phillies have been a beast at home, with a 54-27 record built largely on their offense, which scored 410 runs in CBP this season, the second-highest total of runs at home in the majors.

The five Mets’ pitchers allowed the Phillies only two runs and five hits.

Here are some takeaways...

Game MVP(s): Mets’ five-man tag team of pitchers

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