NEW YORK – Pete Alonso launched another home run off Aaron Nola and Sean Manaea pitched a two-hit shutout in the eighth inning as the New York Mets beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-2 in Game 3 of their NL Division Series on Tuesday.

Jesse Winker also singled and Starling Marte had a game-tying two-run single to give the wild-card Mets, playing their first home game in 16 days, a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series helped.

Game 4 takes place on Wednesday. All-Star Ranger Suárez is scheduled to play for Philadelphia against fellow left winger Jose Quintana. A win puts New York in the National League Championship Series where they will face the Los Angeles Dodgers or the San Diego Padres.

The Mets have never had a victory celebration at Citi Field, which opened in 2009.

“It would be fantastic to do it, but we have to stick to ourselves,” said Alonso.

After reaching the 2022 World Series and Game 7 of the NLCS last year, the NL East champion Phillies are on the verge of an early playoff exit against the rival Mets.

“I know it has come out that I have spoken to the team,” said manager Rob Thomson. “Basically it’s quite simple: you come here tomorrow and I told them it’s the most resilient club I’ve ever been at. That’s what they’re all about. They’re all about toughness, fighting and playing together. “That’s what we have to do and just focus on one game.”

Manaea was lifted after allowing an infield single early in the eighth. The big left-hander, who emerged as New York’s star in the second half of the season, received hearty pats on the back from his teammates and a standing ovation from the towel-waving sellout crowd of 44,093 as he strolled down the hill.

Aided by a great pitch from Tyrone Taylor in center field, Manaea earned its first playoff win after entering the game 0-3 with a 10.66 ERA in his postseason career. He struck out six and walked two.

“I felt like he wanted that moment,” teammate Francisco Lindor said. “He gave everything he had.”

Manaea held on to a 2-0 lead and escaped major trouble in the sixth period. After issuing consecutive walks to start the inning, he received a mound visit from pitching coach Jeremy Hefner and struck out star slugger Bryce Harper on three off-speed pitches.

“I followed right after him,” Manaea said.

Nick Castellanos then led an inning-ending double play as the Mets middle infield doubled Kyle Schwarber at second base. A pumped-up Manaea screamed “Let’s go!” as he bounced off the hill.

Alonso sent Nola’s first throw of the second pitch deep to the right. On his way to first base, he threw his bat high in the air as the ball reached the first row of the second deck.

It was Alonso’s second home run of the Series and third in New York’s last four playoff games. All of them were on the opposing field – the slugger hit just four of his 34 home runs in the other direction in the regular season.

“Wherever it comes out, if it happens, I’m just happy that it’s happening,” Alonso said. “If I hit balls the other way, that’s a pretty good sign.”

Nola and Alonso have been feuding in the Southeastern Conference since their college days, but in the majors the duel was one-sided. It was Alonso’s sixth career home run as a right-handed hitter, having entered the game with a .320 batting average and a 1.050 OPS in 54 appearances against him.

“He knows me. I know him. He’s a great, talented pitcher,” Alonso said. “He’s a tough AB. I’m just happy that I was able to assert myself for the team.”

Thomson left Nola on the mound in the sixth and found Alonso, who drew New York’s second straight walk after Mark Vientos’ leadoff single.

With the bases loaded, Orion Kerkering replaced Nola and got two outs before Marte’s two-run single made it 4-0.

Brandon Nimmo and Alonso issued back-to-back walks to load the bases again in the seventh before Jose Iglesias added a two-run single off Jose Ruiz with two outs.

Harper and Castellanos each hit an RBI single in the eighth, but Ryne Stanek retired and dropped Alec Bohm to end the inning.

Lindor, playing his first home game since Sept. 8 due to a back injury, hit a run-scoring double in the bottom half to make it 7-2.

The cocky Winker hit a solo shot in the fourth, all the while watching from home plate as his first career postseason home run flew into the second deck in right.