Phillies Dominate Mets Behind Late-Game Rally and Wheeler’s Gritty Start
Jun 20, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto (10) and outfielder Nick Castellanos (8) advance home to score against the New York Mets in the seventh inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
With more than half the season still ahead, nobody’s handing out banners for a June win over the Mets. But after a 10-2 beatdown at Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies walked off the field knowing they’d just sent a message.
Zack Wheeler didn’t have his best stuff. His pitch count soared early, and he couldn’t spot his fastball the way he usually does, which is truly his anchor pitch. But Wheeler still gutted out five scoreless innings, striking out eight and grinding through every frame like a true ace.
After Taijuan Walker let a two-run lead slip away in the top of the seventh, giving up 2 solo homers in the inning, with the home run to Pete Alonso being especially painful. Walker left a fastball over the plate, and Alonso did what he does best: took a mistake pitch like that and hit it hard. This time he hit this mistake off the ivy in center. The home run Walker gave up in the next at-bat to Jeff McNeil wasn’t a ‘get-it-over’ fastball; it was a lazy offspeed pitch that felt as if it was half heartedly thrown over the plate. When McNeil touched home, it felt like momentum might shift. But Brandon Marsh had other plans.
Marsh roped a leadoff double down the left-field line in the bottom of the seventh and scored immediately on Trea Turner’s opposite-field double to right. That swing gave the Phillies the lead and cracked the game wide open. Alec Bohm and Nick Castellanos followed with RBI singles, then Bryson Stott unloaded the bases with a double into the gap. Castellanos and J.T. Realmuto came sliding home one after the other, perfectly timed. No hesitation, no confusion, just clean baserunning and execution.
Turner’s double will get plenty of attention, and it should. He stepped in at a critical moment, jumped on a hittable pitch, and flipped the game on its head. Trea truly has been the most consistent hitter on the Phils this season, and it’s starting to pay dividends.
The Phillies didn’t just win. They hit with runners in scoring position. They ran the bases with purpose. They knocked Reed Garrett out of the game and kept their foot on the gas. Castellanos added a two-run homer in the eighth, one more reminder that this team can pile on in a hurry.
Wheeler, postgame, was all business. He admitted he didn’t have full command, but didn’t shy away from the moment either. And when asked about Juan Soto and the Mets’ energy, Wheeler made it clear this wasn’t just another game to him. The edge was there all night.
Walker’s outing won’t be one he wants to remember. He gave up two solo homers and didn’t make it out of the sixth. But credit the bullpen for stepping up. After the seventh-inning explosion, the pen locked it down. Tanner Banks, in particular, looked sharp, helping the Phillies avoid any late drama.
There was real weight to this one. The ballpark had playoff energy. Fans stood after every pitch in the seventh. Players responded like it mattered. The Phillies have won 8 of their last 10. The Mets have lost 7 straight. The standings may shift again. But tonight, Philly landed the first punch, and you could see it in the Mets’ faces later in the game.
You can feel the momentum shifting. The Phils looked locked in tonight. This game truly felt like two teams going in different directions. Mick Abel can keep that momentum building from tonight’s win and his great pitching performance in Miami, when he takes the mound looking to hand the Mets their 8th straight loss.
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Steve Hamilton
Steve may have been born in California, but don’t let that fool you. After dating a local woman and clashing with her and her family over sports for decades, he has an affinity for Philly sports. Balancing love for Philly and Bay Area sports teams may seem impossible, we can all agree that the Cowboys are the true evil.
