• The Phillies defeated the Mets 10-2 to take sole possession of first place in the NL East.
• A six-run, ten-batter seventh inning was the turning point of the game.
• Bryson Stott delivered the key hit, a bases-clearing triple.
• Nick Castellanos also homered in the pivotal seventh inning.
• Brandon Marsh finished the game 3-for-3.
• The victory marks the Phillies' eighth win in their last nine games.

Good morning, Philadelphia! Waking up with the Phillies in sole possession of first place just feels right, doesn't it? In a late-night thriller that bled into Saturday's headlines, the Phils didn't just beat the New York Mets; they dismantled them with a seventh-inning surge that will be talked about for weeks. The 10-2 final score wasn't just a win—it was a statement.

With the victory, the Phillies have now won eight of their last nine games and sit alone atop the NL East.

The Seventh-Inning Statement

For six innings, it was a tense divisional battle. Then came the seventh. The Phillies sent ten batters to the plate in an offensive onslaught that buried the Mets. The crescendo was Bryson Stott's bases-clearing triple, a beautiful shot that sent Nick Castellanos and J.T. Realmuto scrambling home in a spectacular simultaneous slide. It was pure chaos and pure Phillies baseball. Before the dust settled, Castellanos had also homered, Alec Bohm had driven in a run, and Brandon Marsh (who finished 3-for-3) was raising his average. It was the kind of inning that defines a season and flips a pennant race on its head.

Depth on Full Display

While the offense grabbed the headlines, the victory was a true team effort. With Bryce Harper still on the IL, rookie Otto Kemp put on a defensive clinic at first base. He made four standout plays, including two tough foul ball catches and a diving stop to end the seventh, proving this team's 'next man up' mentality is more than just a cliché. On the mound, Zack Wheeler was his steady self through five scoreless frames, and reliever Tanner Banks picked up the win with 1 2/3 shutout innings. It's this kind of depth that separates contenders from pretenders.

A New King of the East

Let's zoom out and appreciate the view from the top. With last night's win, the Phillies improved to 46-30 and officially took sole possession of first place in the National League East. The victory was the exclamation point on an incredible run, marking their eighth win in nine games. Meanwhile, the Mets are in a freefall, now losers of seven straight. The momentum, the energy, and the division lead all reside in South Philadelphia right now.

The job isn't finished. Tonight, the Phillies have a chance to solidify their new position as rookie sensation Mick Abel (2-0, 2.21 ERA) takes the mound against the Mets' Griffin Canning. Another win would put more distance between them and their rivals and prove that this hot streak is the new standard. The Phightin's are in control of their own destiny. Let's keep this rolling.