Mets series review Burry The Phillies
The Mets came into Citi Field reeling on a two-game losing streak after losing their second series of the season in San Francisco. The bullpen was cooked, and the Mets had some injury concerns as Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil were playing through pain. With another West Coast trip on the horizon, the Mets need a strong homestand, as they enjoyed their first series sweep of the season.
The Mets had Carlos Carrasco on the mound for the opener, as the Phillies chose Bailey Falter to start, moving Zach Eflin and Zack Wheeler back in the rotation. In the first inning, the Mets scored three runs as the Phillies' defense faltered, with Nimmo reaching base on an error by shortstop Bryson Scott to start the game. The Mets would load the bases with Pete Alonso and Eduardo Escobar hitting sac flies before Mark Canha ripped a single for the third run. Alonso hit a two-run homer in the third and had an RBI double in the fourth as the Mets built a 7-0 lead against the Phillies' faltering pitcher.
Carlos Carrasco was cruising through five innings as the Mets appeared to be heading for an easy win. However, in the sixth inning, the Phillies began a rally with a pair of infield singles and a dying quail. The Phillies would score three runs as Carrasco went from being a delicious bakery cookie to Chips Ahoy. After a walk to Oduble Herrera, Buck Showalter made a call to the bullpen for Chasen Shreve, who served a three-run home run to Garrett Stubbs, to make it a one-run game.
The Mets answered the Phillies rally with a run in the sixth as Tomas Nido scored on a grounder by Starling Marte, following a roaring double by Brandon Nimmo. The Mets' bullpen did the rest as Drew Smith, Joely Rodriguez, Seth Lugo, and Edwin Diaz held the Phillies to two hits over the final three innings. Edwin Diaz struck out three batters to earn his 11th save.
On Saturday, the Mets turned to Taijuan Walker as the Phillies as Zach Eflin made the start for the Phillies. The Mets scratched out a run in the second to take an early lead. Walker walked a tight rope most of the game; he had little command issuing three walks and allowing six hits while struggling to get through five innings. The Phillies, however, could not take advantage as they left eight runners on base over the first four innings.
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The Phillies would score two runs in the fourth inning on a single by Nick Castellanos, but as a brief shower came over Citi Field, the Mets wasted no time in providing an answer with an exclamation point. A quick shower rolled in during the bottom of the fourth, more of a cloud burst than a rain shower; the Mets got the first two runners on before Jeff McNeil hit a three-run bomb to give the Mets the lead.
Taijuan Walker had his strongest inning, getting Jean Segura to hit into a double play in the fifth, as the Mets added to their lead with a two-run triple by Francisco Lindor, who scored on an Alonso sac-fly. The Mets bullpen was nails on Saturday night, with Colin Holderman pitching two impressive innings as Lindor added an RBI single in the seventh as the Mets won the game 8-2 on fireworks night.
The Mets were on ESPN for Sunday night baseball, facing Zack Wheeler as Chris Bassitt took the found looking for the sweep. The Mets were playing without two crucial players, as Brandon Nimmo was given a second night off with a sore wrist, while Jeff McNeil was given a night off for "leg fatigue." The Mets, like they did Friday, scored three runs in the first inning, taking advantage of the Phillies' inability to field the baseball. Bassitt coming off a pair of shaky outings, ran into trouble in the third inning as the Phillies loaded the bases. Nick Plummer making his first MLB start, misplayed a ball hit by Odubel Herrera as Bassitt walked the next two batters. Alex Bohm hit into a double play with the Phillies scoring their first run, as Bassitt struck out Nick Castellanos to end the inning following a walk to Bryce Harper.
Chris Bassitt shook off the shaky inning and gritted his way through six innings, allowing one run on two hits with seven strikeouts. Zack Wheeler also settled down as the Mets held a 3-1 lead into the late innings. Drew Smith pitched the seventh inning and got the first two outs before injuring his hand on a comebacker off the bat of J.T. Realmuto. Joel Rodriguez finished the inning but walked two batters in the eighth after giving up a long fly ball to Bryce Harper; the Mets had two outs when Buck Showalter called upon Adam Ottavino to get the game to Edwin Diaz. Ottavino failed. He gave up a three-run blast to Nick Castellanos as somebody was apologizing somewhere.
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Trailing 4-3, the air was let out of Citi Field, as the ESPN announcers were gleeful. Jeurys Familia was in line to win as Seranthony Dominguez shut down the Mets with ease in the eighth. Corey Knebel, the Phillies' closer, would get the ninth, as Nick Plummer, who was hitless in his major league career, was sent to the plate to lead off the ninth. Plummer, like he was getting the mushroom power-up turned Knebel's first pitch into a rocket that landed in the Coca-Cola corner to tie the game.
After the Mets tied the game, it was on to extra innings. Edwin Diaz stood in with the trumpets as Eduardo Escobar got the first out by reaching over the Phillies' dugout to retire dangerous Kyle Schraweber. Diaz got Alec Bohm to ground out as Bryce Harper was given an intentional pass. Instead of facing Nick Castellanos, the Mets had to deal with light-hitting Roman Quinn, who had come into the game for defense. Diaz struck out Quinn, hanging a big fat zero on the board.
The Mets had Starling Marte start the inning as the ghost runner, as Francisco Lindor was struck out by Knebel, who was unable to get the save but was trying to get the game to the 11th. Pete Alonso was intentionally walked for the second time as Eduardo Escobar, who has been horrible in May, came to the plate. Earlier in the game, the strategy worked as Escobar struck out to end the fifth with Marte at third. This time the plan failed, as Escobar ripped a single into right to give the Mets a 5-4 walk-off win.