PHILADELPHIA — Inside the New York Mets’ clubhouse, no loud laughter erupted.

There were no excited screams or shouts of joy.

Honestly, the atmosphere was rather muted.

Following yet another impressive late-game triumph on Saturday, the Mets secured a 6-2 win against the Philadelphia Phillies in the first game of the National League Division Series. Their demeanor suggested they just participated in a routine spring-training game in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

Despite catching the baseball world off guard, the Mets are approaching this with what seems like business as usual.

This has become their new normal.

Traveling to Atlanta, they managed to win a game right after the regular season was meant to finish, coming back in both the eighth and ninth innings in their first doubleheader game.

In Milwaukee, facing elimination in the NL wild-card series, first baseman Pete Alonso hit a three-run homer to clinch the game.

Now in Philadelphia, confronted by 45,751 fervent fans taunting them and facing their ace Zack Wheeler, the Mets only managed one hit in seven innings, before erupting against the Phillies’ bullpen in a decisive eighth-inning onslaught.

Just like that, they are on the path to their first National League Championship Series appearance since 2015.

Despite the success, no players in the Mets’ clubhouse were mocking the Phillies or exhibiting any bravado, dismissing the idea that their victory over the Phillies and Wheeler made them the favorites in this best-of-five series.

“We know we’re good,” said Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, “and we’ve got talented players.”

However, Mendoza advised maintaining perspective.

“It’s just one game,” he pointed out. “We need to return [on Sunday] and do it again. It’s a solid beginning. …

“We can’t take anything for granted,” Mendoza emphasized. “That’s a really strong team. They’ve performed well all year, winning the division by a substantial margin. We must maintain our high level of play against them.”

This particular game may linger in the minds of the Phillies throughout the winter, reminiscent of last year when they returned to Philadelphia with a 3-2 lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLCS, only to lose both games and miss the World Series.

On this night, they were once again in control. Wheeler, who lowered his postseason ERA to 2.18, allowed only one hit in seven innings and struck out nine. The Mets were completely stumped. Wheeler generated 30 swings and misses with his fastball and off-speed pitches, the most by any pitcher in a postseason game since 2019.

“I kept saying, we’ve got to get this guy out of the game,” remarked Mets DH J.D. Martinez.

Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor said: “He was unhittable.”

Mets infielder Jose Iglesias shared: “I hold him in the highest regard. We needed to get to their bullpen.”

Once Wheeler exited after seven innings, the Mets behaved like students eager for a substitute teacher, unleashing a storm of offense. They scored five runs in the eighth against three Phillies relievers, including All-Stars Jeff Hoffman and Matt Strahm, all without hitting a single extra-base hit.

“When you’re just one run behind, you can focus on the little things and try to push that run across,” Mets left fielder Brandon Nimmo explained. “And then just keep building on that. What we accomplished could be on a highlight reel; it showcased good baseball without needing home runs. I’m really proud of the guys for that.”

Although they may not have visibly celebrated Wheeler’s departure after the seventh inning, witnessing another pitcher take the mound was rewarding.

“He’s an incredible pitcher, we all recognize that…,” Nimmo acknowledged. “For us to get to him, at least preventing him from finishing a complete game, felt like a win. Getting to the bullpen and seeing how they respond made a real difference. Our guys did a phenomenal job of that.”

In the eighth inning, the Mets connected for five singles, drew a walk, and executed two sacrifice flies. Suddenly, the game was all but over. The sellout crowd at Citizens Bank Park was left unsure whether to boo, scream, or weep as they departed.

The “OMG,” pumpkin-loving, Grimace-embracing Mets have captured momentum and are determined to maintain it.

“Momentum is indeed real,” affirmed Lindor, “but you must also play the game correctly, whether you have momentum or not. We can’t afford to simply roll over opponents. We have to focus on the basics to secure victories.”

This team, which stood at 24-35 on June 2, then posted a record of 65-38 the remainder of the season—winning 20 of their last 29 games—is now thriving in October.

“I truly believe in momentum,” Nimmo stated. “And I have faith that we are currently brimming with confidence… I trust in the hard work we’ve put in and the preparation each team member contributes every day.

“Momentum is a significant factor. And we are indeed displaying a lot of it right now.”

This faith in their capabilities has been held by the Mets throughout the summer, while they’ve managed to stay humble.

During the game, players told reporters that they are just playing baseball the right way. They believe that when they put in hard work and play a clean game, positive results will follow.

On the other hand, the Phillies might be feeling some pressure, knowing they can’t afford to fall behind 2-0 with Games 3 and 4 taking place in New York.

“Philadelphia is an incredible team,” Nimmo remarked. “We faced many tough battles during the regular season, so getting that first win is crucial, especially as we head back home with two games ahead of us.”

“It immediately puts pressure on the opposing team.”

Now, it will be revealing to see how the Phillies react, but Wheeler is unable to pitch until Game 5. Instead of using seasoned pitcher Aaron Nola, they have decided to start young pitcher Cristopher Sanchez on Sunday. The stakes are high as they face their first must-win game of the season.

“This was a tough loss,” Wheeler expressed. “It’s not the position we hoped to be in. We really need to leave this series with a split.”

“We need to secure a win while playing at home.”

If not, they might find themselves at home all winter, reflecting on the Mets’ surprising success.