New York Mets vs Philadelphia Phillies Box Score on Sep 18, 2018

Jorge Alfaro capped a five-run sixth inning with a three-run home run Tuesday night, rallying the Philadelphia Phillies to a 5-2 victory over the visiting New York Mets.

By ending a two-game losing streak, the Phillies (77-73) moved within 5 1/2 games of first-place Atlanta (83-68) in the National League East. The Braves lost 8-1 to the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night.

Thanks in part to a Steven Matz solo home run, his second of the season, the Mets took a 2-0 lead into the sixth inning.

Matz, after pitching five shutout innings, was pulled to start the sixth in favor of Jerry Blevins, who walked Carlos Santana and hit Aaron Altherr with a pitch to open the inning.

Pinch hitter Wilson Ramos greeted Drew Smith (1-1) with a RBI single, making it 2-1, after which pinch hitter Justin Bour doubled to tie the score.

Alfaro then drilled his home run to left field, making it a five-run inning and giving the Phillies a 5-2 lead. It was his 10th homer of the season.

The Philadelphia bullpen took it from there, with Seranthony Dominguez, Tommy Hunter and Hector Neris combining to blank the Mets on no hits and one walk, striking out five, over the final three innings.

Neris, who pitched a 1-2-3 ninth with two strikeouts, recorded his 11th save.

Right-hander Aaron Nola worked the first 5 2/3 innings for the Phillies, allowing two runs and six hits. He walked two and struck out nine.

Pat Neshek (3-1), who replaced Nola with two on and two outs in the top of the sixth and worked out of the jam, was credited with the win.

Matz allowed just two hits in his five innings. He walked five and struck out four.

His home run off Nola came in the third inning and opened the game's scoring.

Dominic Smith doubled home Brandon Nimmo, who had singled, to make it 2-0 in the fourth.

Alfaro and Santana had two hits apiece for the Phillies, who won for just the fifth time in 16 September games.

Dominic Smith and Jeff McNeil collected two hits each for the Mets, who won the series opener 9-4 on Monday night.

--Field Level Media