Castellanos wins Game 2 for Phillies with 9th-inning single, top Mets 7-6

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Nick Castellanos sometimes amazes himself with intuition he can win a game on the final swing.

As he approached the plate with two outs in the ninth inning, with two runners on and the score tied, Castellanos had a hunch he could win Game 2 of the NL Division Series for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Even in the face of an 1-2 slider against Mets reliever Tylor Megill.

“I did like that pitch when I saw it,” Castellanos said.

As Phillies fans unleashed a throaty roar that echoed outside Citizens Bank Park, it was clear they liked that pitch, too.

Castellanos ripped a winning single that scored Trea Turner and sent the Phillies to a dizzying 7-6 win over New York on Sunday and evened the NLDS at one game apiece.

“I said to the guys, Rocky would be proud,” postseason star Bryce Harper said. “Never-die mentality. Just a great game.”

This win meant more than any fictional tale.

Castellanos, who led the major leagues this season with four walk-off hits, tossed his helmet and was mobbed by teammates on the infield as a game that seemed to slip away one inning earlier turned into one more comeback for the NL East champions.

He ran over to his son, Liam, a steady presence at the ballpark during his tenure, and the two exchanged a big “Let's Go!”

“When I'm old and no one cares about me as a baseball player anymore, we’re going to be home and be able to remember and look back at that,” Castellanos said.

His performance in Game 2 will live long in Philly sports lore. Castellanos had two big swings and misses in the fourth inning for an 0-2 count. He didn’t bite on a sweeper in the dirt and mouthed his displeasure when he heard boos from fans.

His tying homer in the sixth made it 3-all, and Castellanos scored the go-ahead run on Bryson Stott's two-run triple in a three-run eighth that put Philadelphia ahead 6-4.

“He came up big for us a lot this year,” Stott said. “It feels like every walk-off hit is Nick, and that’s who he is. And his heart rate doesn’t get up, stays the same. And gets the swing off.”

Megill retired the first two batters of the ninth and walked Turner and Harper, who also homered and scored twice. Castellanos followed with the Phillies’ fifth career postseason walk-off hit.

“Just made a bad pitch, backed up on me,” Megill said.

After falling behind 0-2, Castellanos took a ball in the dirt, then pulled a hanging slider into left and sparked the towel-waving crowd at the ballpark into a frenzy.

“Unbelievable. Unbelievable,” Castellanos said. “If he blows a fastball by me, so be it. I’d rather that than swing at something in the dirt. It was incredible but the series is even. Now we go to New York and there’s a lot of baseball left.”

Game 3 is Tuesday in New York, the Mets’ first home game since Sept. 22.

“No excuses. It’s been hard, but here we are,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “I’m just looking forward to get back to Citi Field.”

In just the second postseason game between the NL East rivals, the Mets and Phillies were pushed from pillar to post over the final four innings, each game-changing swing topped by one even more emotional.

Mark Vientos hit a pair of two-run homers for the Mets, who got solo shots from Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo.

“I think we put on quite a show for everybody in attendance and everybody watching on TV,” Nimmo said.

Harper's two-run homer and Castellanos' solo drive in a three-pitch span from Luis Severino sparked the Phillies' comeback from a 3-0, sixth-inning deficit.

“Missed my location and paid for it,” Severino said.

After Nimmo's seventh-inning homer off Orion Kerkering gave New York a 4-3 lead, Stott lined a go-ahead, two-run triple down the right-field line on his 27th birthday after Harper walked and Castellanos singled off Díaz in the eighth.

“He threw a slider that I thought I could finally hit, and was able to pull it down the line,” Stott said.

Díaz, who has a 9.37 ERA at Citizens Bank Park, threw 104 pitches in three outings over a seven-day span.

Díaz faulted his approach to Harper, saying “I think I was a little bit lazy to him instead of attacking him.”

J.T. Realmuto's grounder scored Stott for a 6-4 lead, but Vientos hit a two-run homer off Matt Strahm, an All-Star lefty who failed the Phillies for a second straight game.

Harper — who wore a “Showman” headband — snapped the Phillies out of their offensive malaise when he drove Severino's fastest pitch of the day, a 99 mph fastball, 431 feet into the shrubbery in dead center as fans roared.

“That was sick,” Harper said. “Best fanbase in the world.”

Phillies fans were still going wild when Castellanos followed with a tying homer to left-center, then sprinted around the bases.

Now it's off to New York.

“Both teams, man,” Harper said. “Punch for punch.”

UP NEXT

Phillies RHP Aaron Nola and Mets LHP Sean Manaea start in Game 3.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

New York Mets' Brandon Nimmo reacts after hitting a home run against Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Orion Kerkering during the seventh inning of Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

New York Mets' Brandon Nimmo reacts after hitting a home run against Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Orion Kerkering during the seventh inning of Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

New York Mets' Pete Alonso reacts after hitting a home run against Philadelphia Phillies pitcher José Ruiz during the sixth inning of Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

New York Mets' Brandon Nimmo (9) celebrates with Pete Alonso after hitting a home run against Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Orion Kerkering during the seventh inning of Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

New York Mets' Mark Vientos reacts after hitting a two-run home run against Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Matt Strahm during the ninth inning of Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

New York Mets' Mark Vientos hits a two-run home run against Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Matt Strahm during the ninth inning of Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

New York Mets' Mark Vientos celebrates hitting a two-run home run against Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Matt Strahm during the ninth inning of Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Philadelphia Phillies' Nick Castellanos reacts after hitting a one-run single against New York Mets pitcher Tylor Megill during the ninth inning to win Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies' Nick Castellanos celebrates with Kyle Schwarber and teammates his one-run single against New York Mets pitcher Tylor Megill during the ninth inning to win Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies' Nick Castellanos celebrates with teammates his one-run single against New York Mets pitcher Tylor Megill during the ninth inning to win Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies' Bryce Harper follow through after hitting a two-run home run against New York Mets pitcher Luis Severino during the sixth inning of Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies' Bryce Harper reacts after hitting a two-run home run against New York Mets pitcher Luis Severino during the sixth inning of Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies' Nick Castellanos (8) celebrates with Bryce Harper after hitting a home run against New York Mets pitcher Luis Severino during the sixth inning of Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Philadelphia Phillies' Nick Castellanos celebrates after the Phillies won Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series against the New York Mets, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies' Brandon Marsh, right, pours water over Nick Castellanos, center while he is interviewed after the Phillies won Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series against the New York Mets, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies' Nick Castellanos celebrates his one-run single against New York Mets pitcher Tylor Megill during the ninth inning to win Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies' Bryce Harper, left, and Nick Castellanos celebrate after scoringon a two-run triple hit by Bryson Stott during the eighth inning of Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series against the New York Mets, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hours clicking toward a midnight government shutdown deadline, the Senate was preparing to give final passage late Friday to a new plan that would temporarily fund federal operations and disaster aid, but drops President-elect Donald Trump's demands for a debt limit increase into the new year.

House Speaker Mike Johnson had insisted Congress would “meet our obligations” and not allow federal operations to shutter ahead of the Christmas holiday season. But the day's outcome was uncertain after Trump doubled down on his insistence that a debt ceiling increase be included in any deal — if not, he said in an early morning post, let the closures “start now.”

The House approved Johnson's new bill overwhelmingly, 366-34, and the Senate was working late into the night toward votes.

“This is a good outcome for the country, ” Johnson said afterward, adding he had spoken with Trump and the president-elect “was certainly happy about this outcome, as well.”

It was the third attempt from Johnson, the beleaguered House speaker, to achieve one of the basic requirements of the federal government — keeping it open. And it raised stark questions about whether Johnson will be able to keep his job, in the face of angry GOP colleagues, and work alongside Trump and billionaire ally Elon Musk, who called the legislative plays, from afar.

President Joe Biden, who has played a less public role in the process throughout a turbulent week, was expected to quickly sign the measure into law.

Trump's last-minute demand was almost an impossible ask, and Johnson had almost no choice but to work around his pressure for a debt ceiling increase. The speaker knew there wouldn’t be enough support within the GOP majority to pass any funding package, since many Republican deficit hawks prefer to slash federal government and certainly wouldn’t allow more debt.

Instead, the Republicans, who will have full control of the White House, House and Senate next year, with big plans for tax cuts and other priorities, are showing they must routinely rely on Democrats for the votes needed to keep up with the routine operations of governing.

“So is this a Republican bill or a Democrat bill?” scoffed Musk on social media ahead of the vote.

The drastically slimmed-down 118-page package would fund the government at current levels through March 14 and add $100 billion in disaster aid and $10 billion in agricultural assistance to farmers.

Gone is Trump’s demand to lift the debt ceiling, which GOP leaders told lawmakers would be debated as part of their tax and border packages in the new year. Republicans made a so-called handshake agreement to raise the debt limit at that time while also cutting $2.5 trillion in spending over 10 years.

It’s essentially the same deal that flopped the night before in a spectacular setback — opposed by most Democrats and some of the most conservative Republicans — minus Trump’s debt ceiling demand.

But it's far smaller than the original bipartisan accord Johnson struck with Democratic and Republican leaders — a 1,500-page bill that Trump and Musk rejected, forcing him to start over. It was stuffed with a long list of other bills — including much-derided pay raises for lawmakers — but also other measures with broad bipartisan support that now have a tougher path to becoming law.

House Democrats were cool to the latest effort after Johnson reneged on the hard-fought bipartisan compromise.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, said it looked like Musk, the wealthiest man in the world, was calling the shots for Trump and Republicans.

“Who is in charge?” she asked during the debate.

Still, the Democrats put up more votes than Republicans for the bill's passage. Almost three dozen conservative Republicans voted against it.

“The House Democrats have successfully stopped extreme MAGA Republicans from shutting down the government, crashing the economy and hurting working class Americans all across the nation,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said after the vote.

Trump, who has not yet been sworn into office, is showing the power but also the limits of his sway with Congress, as he intervenes and orchestrates affairs from Mar-a-Lago alongside Musk, who is heading up the incoming administration's new Department of Government Efficiency.

The incoming Trump administration vows to slash the federal budget and fire thousands of employees and is counting on Republicans for a big tax package. And Trump's not fearful of shutdowns the way lawmakers are, having sparked the longest government shutdown in history in his first term at the White House.

“If there is going to be a shutdown of government, let it begin now,” Trump posted early in the morning on social media.

More important for the president-elect was his demand for pushing the thorny debt ceiling debate off the table before he returns to the White House. The federal debt limit expires Jan. 1, and Trump doesn't want the first months of his new administration saddled with tough negotiations in Congress to lift the nation's borrowing capacity. Now Johnson will be on the hook to deliver.

“Congress must get rid of, or extend out to, perhaps, 2029, the ridiculous Debt Ceiling,” Trump posted — increasing his demand for a new five-year debt limit increase. "Without this, we should never make a deal."

Government workers had already been told to prepare for a federal shutdown which would send millions of employees — and members of the military — into the holiday season without paychecks.

Biden has been in discussions with Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, but White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, “Republicans blew up this deal. They did, and they need to fix this.”

As the day dragged on with no deal in sight, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell stepped in to remind colleagues “how harmful it is to shut the government down, and how foolish it is to bet your own side won’t take the blame for it.”

At one point, Johnson asked House Republicans for a lunchtime meeting for a show of hands as they tried to choose the path forward.

It wasn't just the shutdown, but the speaker's job on the line. The speaker's election is the first vote of the new Congress, which convenes Jan. 3, and some Trump allies have floated Musk for speaker.

Johnson said he spoke to Musk ahead of the vote Friday and they talked about the “extraordinary challenges of this job.”

Associated Press writers Kevin Freking, Stephen Groves, Mary Clare Jalonick, Darlene Superville and Bill Barrow contributed to this report.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., talks to reporters after passing the funding bill to avert the government shutdown at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., talks to reporters after passing the funding bill to avert the government shutdown at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

The Capitol is pictured in Washington, Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., emerges from a closed-door meeting with fellow Republicans at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., emerges from a closed-door meeting with fellow Republicans at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., talks with reporters after attending a meeting with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., as the House works on a spending bill to avert a shutdown of the Federal Government, Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, at the Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

FILE - President-elect Donald Trump poses for a photo with Dana White, Kid Rock and Elon Musk at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., talks briefly to reporters just before a vote on an interim spending bill to prevent a government shutdown, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. The vote failed to pass. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)