NEW YORK -- The Mets were on the move, anxiety was high and the outlook was bleak. Yet despite Diego Castillo¡¯s recent hiccups, he¡¯d been in this moment before.

Castillo, Seattle¡¯s up-and-down leverage reliever, was called on with one out in a ninth inning that began with him assuming there¡¯d be zero chance of him entering. Yet after Drew Steckenrider surrendered two runs and put the potential game-winner on second, it was up to Castillo escape a jam -- and he did so in a monumental way in Sunday¡¯s 8-7 win at Citi Field.

In a full count with the bases loaded, where a miss would have at the least tied the game, Castillo landed a slider past Pete Alonso, who could not check his swing. A delayed call from first-base umpire Chad Whitson had everyone on their toes, yet after the signal, the Mariners breathed a collective sigh of relief as crisis was averted and the 38,476 on hand at Citi Field were in uproar.

¡°It reminded me of the energy of a playoff game,¡± Castillo said through interpreter Sergio Romo. ¡°That¡¯s one thing that I relied on before. I like being in those situations. It¡¯s something that I¡¯ve been in before.¡±

Seattle survived and advanced to a huge series win against the Mets, who set a franchise record by winning each of their first 10 and entered the weekend with the best record in the National League. It was a one-run victory, the kind that Seattle specialized in with an MLB-high 33 such contests last year, and like many of those, this one came down to the final pitch.

The call to the ¡®pen

The phone rang in a pinch, just after Steckenrider surrendered a single to Patrick Mazeika that bounced off J.P. Crawford¡¯s glove. Castillo then rapidly warmed up and was installed moments later, after Brandon Nimmo doubled to make it a one-run game.

Castillo, who pitched in the 2020 World Series with the Rays, washed away thoughts of the nine runs he¡¯d given up over his previous three outings.

¡°That¡¯s something that happens to everybody in their career,¡± Castillo said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t always go well, but it¡¯s just something that happens. I knew at one point, things would turn around.¡±

The plan of attack

The meat of the Mets¡¯ order featuring three All-Stars awaited, starting off with Starling Marte. Castillo¡¯s strategy was simple: trust his best pitch -- a slider that when on is elite, but when it¡¯s not has been feasted on. He turned to it for each of his 13 offerings.

¡°I felt really, really good with it,¡± Castillo said of warming in the ¡®pen. ¡°That¡¯s why I was so confident using it in the game.¡±

Castillo struck out Marte on three pitches for the second out, then manager Scott Servais opted to intentionally walk switch-hitter Francisco Lindor. Castillo is more comfortable against righties, but it set up a colossal matchup with Alonso, the two-time reigning Home Run Derby champion, with the bases loaded.

Back and forth they went, with Castillo finally getting Alonso on strike two with a pitch way outside, followed by ball three in the dirt, and finally, the decisive dagger for the check-swing K.

The rowdy reaction

Catcher Cal Raleigh turned back and forth from home-plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt to Whitson at first base, then leaped in jubilation after the call.

¡°It was kind of like a standstill, and they called it, and I got all pumped up,¡± Raleigh said.

The outfield contingent of Julio Rodr¨ªguez, Jesse Winker and Steven Souza Jr. hugged, then turned and waved to Mets fans -- a gesture sparked by Winker, who continued his rivalry with them this weekend.

¡°Honestly, I was just thinking, let¡¯s make a play,¡± Rodr¨ªguez said. ¡°Just make a play, stay focused and after something happens, you can¡¯t take that back. Just basically, you¡¯ve got to move on to the next play. I was just locked in, ready for something if they hit it my way.¡±

And the Mariners escaped with their first series win since a sweep of the Royals from April 22-24.

The moments that led to it

? Rodr¨ªguez reached five times and had a career-high four hits, including his second career homer -- a 114-mph shot off Chasen Shreve that he pulled a Statcast-projected 423 feet way beyond the left-field wall. In the seventh, he added what proved to be a critical insurance run with an RBI single that scored Winker.

? Robbie Ray looked like he might be on a fast track to an early exit in the fourth inning, when he gave up a single, walk, triple and another walk before recording his first out. In total, he threw 30 pitches and gave up four runs, but he was able to bounce back for 1-2-3 innings in the fifth and sixth.

? Raleigh crushed a go-ahead, two-run shot that reached the Shea Bridge beyond both bullpens in right-center shortly after Rodr¨ªguez tied the game. The backstop had just one RBI this season to that point before unloading the 109.6 mph, 435-foot shot.