PHILADELPHIA — The Mets lost Francisco Lindor to a back injury and then, to make matters worse, they lost a game.
They could hardly afford either setback with time running down in the regular season and trying to hold off the Braves for the final wild card spot in the National League.
And the 2-1 loss was a second straight painful defeat to the first-place Phillies, as Edwin Diaz allowed a game-winning single to J.T. Realmuto in the bottom of the ninth at Citizens Bank Park.
Diaz opened the inning by striking out Bryce Harper before Nick Castellanos singled to right.
Castellanos stole second as Alec Bohm whiffed for the second out, but Realmuto ended the game with a base hit to right that scored Castellanos.
The matchup of David Peterson and Cristopher Sanchez proved to be a tight pitcher’s duel, as both lefties cruised for much of the game.
Peterson retired 15 of 17 batters heading into the sixth.
Bohm, in his first game back after being on the IL with a left hand injury, singled with one out in the second and moved to second on a Luis Torrens passed ball and Bryce Harper reached on a walk in the fourth for the only two baserunners
Peterson got the first two batters in the sixth before Trea Turner doubled to left-center to bring up Harper, who grounded to second.
The Mets got an infield single from Brandon Nimmo to lead off the seventh, but J.D. Martinez narrowly missed a homer for a second straight game, Jose Iglesias flied to tight and Torrens grounded out.
Sanchez, who had allowed just two runs in 13 innings in his previous two starts, gave up one run on six hits.
Tyrone Taylor provided the game’s first run with a leadoff homer off Sanchez in the top of the eighth.
He jumped on a 2-2 slider and smashed it an estimated 406 feet into the seats in left-center to give the Mets a 1-0 lead.
It was Taylor’s seventh home run of the season.
Harrison Bader followed with a single through the right side of the infield to end Sanchez’s day.
With two out, Pete Alonso squibbed a single that put runners on the corners for Brandon Nimmo, who grounded to first.
Peterson gave up a double to left-center to Weston Wilson to open the bottom of the eighth.
Buddy Kennedy followed with a double to left to tie the game.
A sacrifice bunt by Johan Rojas moved Kennedy to third for Kyle Schwarber.
With the infield in and one out, Peterson got Schwarber to ground to second, keeping Kennedy at third and the game tied.
Phil Maton entered and got Turner to fly to right.
