Incredible game-ending double play saves Mets in London

LONDON — For most of Sunday afternoon at London Stadium, the Mets appeared sluggish. They risked a long, unhappy flight back across the Atlantic, where they would have seven-plus hours to stew on what went wrong across the pond.

This seems like a better outcome.

Phillies closer José Alvarado walked two batters and hit Pete Alonso with the bases loaded to force in the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth inning before New York catcher Luis Torrens executed a thrilling game-ending double play to help the Mets escape with 6-5 win and a London Series split.

The Phillies led for much of the early afternoon, but Brandon Nimmo hit an RBI double and J.D. Martinez tied the game with a two-run hit against Gregory Soto in the sixth. After the Phillies went back ahead in the seventh on a David Dahl pinch-hit homer, the Mets rallied on a walk and two singles — including a Mark Vientos RBI infield hit — in the ninth. Alvarado proceeded to walk another batter before plunking Alonso to force in the winning run.

Reed Garrett picked up his team-leading sixth victory in relief, while Drew Smith walked a tight-rope after entering with two on and one out in the ninth. He loaded the bases and walked in a run before inducing a dribbler from Nick Castellanos that Torrens snagged. He lurched back to step on the plate and made an amazing stumbling throw to first to complete the game-ending double play.