The Philadelphia Phillies entered Tuesday night’s contest against the New York Mets with a chance to assert control in the National League East. For much of the evening, it appeared they had found the timely spark that had been missing in their recent visits to Citi Field. Harrison Bader, once a fan favorite in Queens, provided a dramatic moment with a game-tying two-run home run in the eighth inning.

The shot silenced the New York crowd and gave the Phillies a surge of momentum. It was the type of swing that could have flipped the narrative of their struggles against the Mets on the road. Yet the optimism faded quickly when closer Jhoan Duran surrendered four consecutive hits in the ninth, including a walk-off single from Brandon Nimmo.

With the 6–5 defeat, Philadelphia dropped its nint

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