Phillies beat Mets and reach the playoffs for the third time in a row

NEW YORK – Bryce Harper and the Philadelphia Phillies secured their third consecutive playoff appearance with a 12-2 victory over the New York Mets on Friday night.

With at least a wild card in the National League guaranteed, the Phillies can secure their first NL East title since 2011 with another win this weekend at Citi Field against the second-place Mets.

With the division title so close, Philadelphia planned a casual celebration following Friday night’s game – and hoped to start a boozy locker room party soon after securing first place.

Seeking their third World Series title, the Phillies overtook Atlanta on May 3 to take the division lead and have not trailed since. Their win and the Braves’ 4-3 loss in Miami eliminated Atlanta from the race for the NL East crown — ending their six-year reign atop the division.

Alec Bohm had four hits and four RBIs, including a three-run home run, in Friday night’s blowout victory. Nick Castellanos had three hits and two RBIs, JT Realmuto added a two-run home run and the Phillies extended their lead in the NL East to seven games over the second-place Mets (85-69) with eight games left to play.

Philadelphia stole five bases — four of them in a six-run fourth inning capped by Bohm’s home run against reliever Adam Ottavino. Johan Rojas hit a two-run double against starter David Peterson (9-3), who was taken out of the game after just 64 pitches and 3 2/3 innings — his shortest start of the season.

Cristopher Sanchez (11-9) overcame a rocky start and five walks in five innings to earn the win. Philadelphia defeated the Mets 17-4.

Philadelphia (92-62) has the best record in the major leagues and is on pace to earn a bye in the first round of the playoffs. It is the third time the Phillies have reached the postseason three years in a row (1976-78 and 2007-11).

Philadelphia won the NL East title five times in a row from 2007 to 2011, but then went ten years without making the playoffs. The Phillies have been wild-card entrants in the last two playoffs and made two consecutive runs in October that ended in a bitter end.

They reached the 2022 World Series, losing to Houston in six games, and lost a seven-game NL Championship Series to Arizona last year after leading the underdog Diamondbacks 2-0 and 3-2.

This time, the Phillies want to hold out until the end and finally finish the job.

Philadelphia only won the World Series in 1980 and 2008.

This report uses information from the Associated Press.