Big hits by Plummer, Escobar rally Mets past Phils for sweep

NEW YORK — Nick Plummer launched a tying homer in the ninth inning for his first major league hit, Eduardo Escobar doubled home the winning run in the 10th and the New York Mets beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-4 on Sunday night for a three-game sweep.

Nick Castellanos put Philadelphia ahead 4-3 with a three-run homer on an 0-2 pitch from reliever Adam Ottavino with two outs in the eighth.

Plummer, making his first major league start after getting recalled from the minors Saturday, drove the first pitch from Corey Knebel — a 96 mph fastball — into the second deck in right field leading off the ninth.

It was Knebel’s third blown save in 11 opportunities.

Edwin Diaz (2-1) stranded the automatic runner at second in the 10th. He was aided by a terrific defensive play at third base from Escobar, who reached way over the railing of the Philadelphia dugout to catch a foul pop.

Knebel (1-4) struck out Francisco Lindor to begin the bottom half, and Pete Alonso was intentionally walked. Escobar then lined a double into right field to score automatic runner Starling Marte from second and was swarmed by excited teammates in the infield.

Escobar’s fifth career walkoff RBI gave the NL East leaders, who are 12-2-1 in series this year, their first sweep of the season.

Mets setup man Drew Smith dislocated the pinkie on his pitching hand reaching for a comebacker in the seventh, but New York improved to 9-3 against the Phillies this year. The division rivals don’t meet again until Aug. 12.

Zack Wheeler settled in after a tough start for the struggling Phillies, delivering six solid innings against his former team.

Maligned for poor fielding all year, the Phillies played more shoddy defense in the first that helped New York jump out to a 3-0 lead. But center fielder Odubel Herrera made a diving catch in the seventh and shortstop Johan Camargo turned in a sensational stop in the eighth to slow the Mets.

Lindor knocked in a run with a grounder for New York, extending his careerbest RBI streak to seven games. That’s the longest by a Mets player since Lucas Duda did it in 2014.

Escobar and Mark Canha had RBI groundouts in the first.

Philadelphia loaded the bases with nobody out against starter Chris Bassitt in the third, but mustered only one run on Alec Bohm’s double-play grounder.