PHILADELPHIA -- Nick Castellanos' third heroic at-bat of the night got the Phillies and a raucous home crowd what they wanted and needed Sunday night.

His two-out single scored Trea Turner, giving the Phillies a 7-6 win over the Mets in a thrill-a-minute National League Division Series Game 2 at Citizens Bank Park with most among the 45,679 in attendance screaming and jumping with delight.

Turner and Bryce Harper had each walked with two outs against New York pitcher Tylor Megill.

The win evened the best-of-5 series at 1-1 going into Game 3 at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Citi Field.

Castellanos had earlier homered and singled and later scored as the Phillies rallied from 3-0 and 4-3 deficits. But those came after he'd heard a few boos after lining out and grounding out as the Phils' offense continued its struggles from Game 1 at the outset.

"I feel great for him," Phils manager Rob Thomson said of Castellanos. "He's been working every day. Comes in early, hits one-on-one on the field. I don't know how he's done it playing 162 games because he's just a workhorse.

"I'm so happy for him because I know there's been a lot of talk about chasing and this and that, but he can hit. That was a big night for him tonight, the home run to tie it up and then the base hit to win it. He's just been grinding all year."

Mark Vientos' second homer of the night had tied it for the Mets 6-6 in the top of the ninth. It came with one out off Matt Strahm and scored Francisco Lindros, who had singled, to make it 6-6 .

"Obviously going to New York 1-1 is a lot better than going 0-2," Castellanos said. "But now that being said, obviously this is far from over. They're a really good team over there and they are coming together, they're playing as a unit and they've been through adversity before. Winning in New York is gonna be challenging but I know we're all looking forward to it."

Phillies take first lead on Stott triple

Bryson Stott, on his 27th birthday, delivered a memorable gift to the Phillies and the sellout throng hear to watch them.

Stott's two-run triple with one out in the eighth inning off Edwin Diaz gave the Phillies their first lead. Stott's swat into the right-field corner scored sixth-inning heroes Harper, who'd walked, and Castellanos, who'd singled, to make it 5-4.

"That got everybody going," Thomson said. "It was huge because [Mets starter Luis Severino, who went six innings] was really good. Sevvy's a big-game pitcher."

Stott then scored as J.T. Realmuto hit a bouncer to third that the charging Vientos could not field as the Phillies went up 6-4.

Home run derby

The Mets were winning the home run derby. Brandon Nimmo's two-out solo home run in the seventh inning has inched New York back ahead of the Phillies 4-3.

TV replays showed Nimmo and Phillies catcher Realmuto exchanging words after Nimmo crossed home play but it wasn't clear why or what was said.

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Phillies tie it on back-to-back blasts

The Phillies regained life and the noise returned to Citizens Bank Park when Bryce Harper launched a 2-run, 2-out homer in the bottom of the sixth inning to ignite the fans, and Nick Castellanos then delivered a solid shot to raise the decibel level higher. Trea Turner singled ahead of Harper's blast.

The twin clouts evened the score at 3-3 against the Mets in Game 2 of the National League Division Series. The Phillies doubled their hit total with those three in the sixth off Mets starter Luis Severino.

No relief

That looked painfully familiar for Phillies fans. A relief pitcher stepped onto the mound and the Mets promptly added to their lead. Pete Alonso smacked a home run into the right field seats to greet Jose Ruiz, putting the Mets up 3-0 in the top of the sixth inning.

The Mets pummeled four Phillies relief pitchers Saturday after Zack Wheeler's scoreless 7-inning start to win Game 1 6-2.

Ruiz gave up two more hits in the inning, both singles, but the Mets did not add to their margin.

Phillies starter Cristopher Sanchez went five innings, allowed five hits and struck out five.

"He was really good," Thomson said.

Vientos homer puts Mets on top

The Mets struck first. Vientos smashed an opposite field two-run homer in the third inning. Lindor singled with one out and scored on Vientos' blast.

Phillies don't convert on 2 chances

The Phillies had chances to score in the first and third innings but failed.

Turner singled with one out in the first inning and stole second while Harper was batting. Harper was called out looking on a 3-2 pitch. Turner then swiped third base but Castellanos lined out.

Johan Rojas then singled with one out in the third inning. He zipped all the way around second on Kyle Schwarber's flyout to the warning track in right field, but the throw as he hustled back to first bounced away from Alonso and Rojas did end up at second. Rojas then stole third but Turner popped out.

Bohm out, Sosa in

Alec Bohm was not in Sunday's lineup against the Mets. Bohm is a 2024 NL All-Star who is batting .280 with 15 homers and 97 RBI. But he closed the season in a 2-for-27 slump and was 0-for-4 Saturday.

Edmundo Sosa (.257 with seven homers) will play third base for the Phillies.

"I wanna get some energy in the lineup with Sosa," Thomson said before the game. "He's kind of our energy guy. Bohm is not swinging the bat particularly well but he's not the only one. He's frustrated, but I just wanna get Sosa in there."

The Phillies had just five hits in Saturday's loss and felt they chased too many pitches.

"He's a guy with one swing of the bat can change a game either with his speed or his power," Thomson said of Sosa.

Sosa had a throwing error in the second inning on Jose Iglesias' infield single with no outs but Iglesias never advanced farther. Following Sosa's error second baseman Bryson Stott made a leaping grab on the outfield grass and Bryce Harper snagged a hard-hit ball at first base to give the Phillies some defensive highlights also.

Sosa struck out in his first at-bat and grounded out in his second. Bohm pinch hit for him in the seventh and popped out.

Sanchez gets the start

The Phillies’ faith in pitcher Cristopher Sanchez landed him on the mound today for Game 2 of the National Division Series. His start suddenly became even more critical for the home team.

The Mets’ 6-2 win in Saturday’s Game 1 gave the Phillies and their boisterous fans a must-win feel when Sanchez stepped onto the field at Citizens Park for the 4 p.m. game. Saturday's loss broke a streak of eight straight wins by the Phillies in Game 1 of a postseason series dating to 2011.

“Excited but at the same time committed to the opportunity,” Sanchez said, through an interpreter, about being given today’s start. “With my teammates, excited to give my best effort for them.”

Sanchez was pitching seven days after his wife gave birth to their first child. "Baby Cris," he called his son on Instagram. It's an experience in which Sanchez has reveled but, he said, it has not undermined his preparation.

His success at home compared to in away games led to manager Rob Thomson’s decision to start Sanchez today and give Aaron Nola the nod for Game 3 Tuesday at Citi Field in the best-of-5 duel.

“It's something I just can't explain,” Sanchez said. “I just feel really comfortable here, and the fans give me that ability to be comfortable at home and be a pitcher here.”

Sanchez is 7-3 at home with a 2.21 ERA in 17 starts, striking out 99 in 110 innings. Only Cliff Lee (1.94 in 2011) and Roy Halladay (2.20 in 2010) have had lower ERAs among Phillies starters at Citizens Bank Park. Halladay no-hit the Reds in Game 1 of the 2010 exactly 14 years ago today.

He is 4-6 with a 5.02 ERA in 14 road starts. Sanchez has a 1.661 road WHIP compared to .973 at home.

“Just looking at playing the Mets, going into Citi Field, I think it's going to be a pretty hostile environment,” Thomson said. “And looking at Sanchez' home/road splits, I just thought it was really the smartest thing to do.”

The 2024 National League All-Star, who turned 24 in June, has had a breakthrough in his fourth MLB season. Sanchez is 11-9 with a 3.32 ERA this year.

“It's really amazing the steps that he's taken, the growth that he's had, not only physically, but mentally and emotionally,” Thomson said. “This guy started the year at 92, 93 miles an hour, really commanding the baseball, and now he's 95, 96, touching 97 and maintaining his command.

“The changeup is a plus-plus pitch. The slider he's landing, gone deep in the games. Held his composure. Has had some innings where he could have fallen apart, which he's done in the past, and just kept fighting through it, maintaining his composure and poise. He's just grown leaps and bounds."

Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com and follow on Twitter @kevintresolini. Support local journalism by subscribing to delawareonline.com and our DE Game Day newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Phillies vs NY Mets: NLDS Game 2 lineups, score, news, analysis