NEW YORK – Well, Ollie, this is certainly a nice mess the Phillies find themselves in.

Of course you don’t find that old Laurel and Hardy line funny. The vision of winning another World Series fades like an old photo left in the sun. After the 2:7 defeat against the Mets in Game 3 of the NLDS on Tuesday evening, promotion to the National League Championship Series seems to be within reach.

They trail by two to one in the best-of-five series. Another defeat and a season that started so promisingly is over.

The visitor’s clubhouse after the game was suitably gloomy.

“Well, as a group, we’re as close to death as we’ve ever gotten,” rightfielder Nick Castellanos said philosophically. “So in a way we should feel most alive. We’re only promised tomorrow, and we’ve been working toward this opportunity since spring training. It’s just another time to go out and let it all go.” field and however the die lands, it will land.

The Phillies’ mantra after tough losses was always to finish the job and move on. Castellanos sees the situation differently now.

“Rather than just throw it away and forget it, I think it’s really important now to embrace the situation we’re in,” he said. “If we lose, we go home. Baseball is over for us. This is a great opportunity because if we can get another win here, I know they won’t want to come back to Philly for Game 5.”

Manager Rob Thomson briefly addressed the team after the game.

“It’s actually quite simple,” he said. “I told them it’s the most resilient club I’ve ever played for. That’s what they care about. They are about toughness, fight and teamwork. That’s what we have to do and just focus on one game.”

Designated hitter Kyle Schwarber took up the topic. “Our biggest thing is just that we have confidence,” he said. “We have confidence in this group, that this is a very talented club. We’ve been through a lot of things and this is just another challenge, isn’t it? That we come together and find a way to win a game.”

“There are no tightening measures. Our job is to go out and win a baseball game. Our goal is to find a way to make sure we can bring it back to Philadelphia. That is our way of thinking. That’s it. Everybody’s going to do it.’ What they have to do is get to the postseason. There is no hidden key. We just have to find a way to win a game.

First baseman Bryce Harper kept it simple. “I just have to win. We’ve done that all year,” he said.

ALL DEALERS ON DECK

One of the reasons the Phillies liked their chances in the NLDS was that they could set up their rotation so that star player Zack Wheeler could throw both the opener and the deciding Game 5 if needed.

That’s still their best-case scenario. But it’s also true that if they don’t win Game 4 on Wednesday at Citi Field, there will be no Game 5 at Citizens Bank Park on Friday.

Even though he would be taking a short break, Rob Thomson didn’t rule out the possibility that Wheeler could be used in Game 4. “I would think everyone would be available,” he said.

It’s probably unlikely. It would mean Game 5 would have to be rigged if the Phillies win on Wednesday. But it’s better than Thomson, who spent all winter wondering what would have happened if he had used his best pitcher in the most important game of the year so far.