Final Score: Mets 10, Phillies 6
This could be the game that ends the Phillies’ hopes for October.
After tonight’s loss, the odds will still read that the Phillies have a greater chance of making the playoffs then missing them, but there is more to it than what the models predicts.
The Phillies bullpen blew yet another lead. Another key player is down. Ace Aaron Nola wasn’t at his best when they needed him to be perfect. A third-consecutive September collapse looms. They had to have this game and they just couldn’t pull it off.
Top Plays
- Nola began the first inning with back-to-back walks. That came back to haunt him as Dominic Smith lined a double to left-center field, scoring Michael Conforto. Robinson Canó followed up with a two-run single to give the Mets a 3-0 lead.
- Bryce Harper went after a first-pitch fastball from Seth Lugo and buried it into the bushes in center field for a solo home run.
- Alec Bohm and Didi Gregorius both homered to tie the game up at three. It was the first time since April 23, 2017 the Phillies hit a back-to-back-to-back home runs. César Hernández, Aaron Altherr and Odubel Herrera all homered in the eighth inning in a win against the Atlanta Braves.
- Adam Haseley put the Phillies on top with a single to right. That was his 12th RBI of 2020.
- Bryce Harper hit a Barry Bonds/Ryan Howard-esque moonshot off the McDonald’s sign in the third deck of right field. It was another John Kruk “Oh my God” moment for sure. A cutout of Harper was placed just above the sign the ball hit in right field.
- Segura continued on his tear, driving in yet another run for the Phillies with a single. The Mets would pull Lugo after the at-bat.
- Nola found himself in more trouble in the top of the fourth. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases for Mets catcher Robinson Chirinos, who hit a fly ball to Haseley in center field for the final out.
- The Phillies had a chance to add to their lead in the fourth. With the bases loaded and two outs, Andrew Knapp struck out swinging against Erasmo Ramírez, who threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of Lugo.
- Mets slugger Pete Alonso hit his sixth career home run against the Phillies in the sixth, cutting the lead to two. One could argue that Nola should have been out of the at-bat already.
- The Phillies bullpen blew yet another lead in the sixth. Blake Parker, who has been one of the few reliable arms for the team, surrendered a two-run triple to Nimmo. One of those runs falls on Nola’s line.
- Tommy Hunter came into the game in the sixth to get the final out. He was squeezed on a pitch to Conforto and surrendered a lead-off walk. Hunter aired his grievances to home plate umpire Mark Wegner and somehow did not receive an ejection.
- On the very next play, Segura made an excellent grab on a hard-hit ground ball from J.D. Davis for the final out.
- Segura and Jeurys Familia had a good battle going on until Familia hit him with a 98-mph sinker in the tricep. He was taken out of the game and replaced by Scott Kingery.
- Good lord. Brandon Workman surrendered a ninth-inning home run. Things got even worse in the ninth, but I’m sure you wouldn’t like to revisit this.
Shibe Vintage Sports Starting Pitching Performance
Seth Lugo: 1 2/3 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 52 pitches
Lugo was fantastic in his last outing for the Phillies, but it just wasn’t working for him tonight. His velocity was way down relative to where it’s usually been. You wonder if Lugo is much better suited for a back-end relief role.
Aaron Nola: 5 1/3 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 5 BB, 7 K, 107 pitches
The Phillies are lucky to get more than five innings out of Nola. He struggled mightily in the first but settled in through the fifth. When he struggles to throw strikes, he usually relies on his curveball more than he’d like as that’s the pitch he can command the best. He tied his game-high total in walks. The last time he walked five batters was Opening Day 2019.
Both bullpens played a huge part in tonight’s game. Here are the lines for every reliever that appeared.
Mets bullpen
- Erasmo Ramírez: 2 1/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K
- Chasen Shreve: 2 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
- Jeurys Familia: 1 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
- Justin Wilson: 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K
- Edwin Díaz: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K
Phillies bullpen
- Blake Parker: 1/3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
- Tommy Hunter: 1 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
- David Phelps: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 K
- Brandon Workman: 1/3 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
- Garrett Cleavinger: 2/3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Phillies Nuggets Player of the Game: Brandon Nimmo
This guy is as pesky as it gets. Nimmo went 3-for-4 with 3 RBIs, including the game-tying and go-ahead run.
Postgame Notes
Former No. 1 overall pick Mickey Moniak made his first MLB start in Thursday’s game. He went 0-for-4 with a walk. LHP Garrett Cleavinger also made his MLB debut. He surrendered a home run to Robinson Canó in the ninth.
After the game, Joe Girardi said the team is unlikely to have J.T. Realmuto back for the weekend. The original thought was that Realmuto would be back from his upper quad injury during the upcoming weekend series against Toronto.
Zach Eflin will pitch game one of the doubleheader Friday. Game two’s starter is still to be determined.
Ticket IQ Next Game
- Friday, September 17 vs. the Toronto Blue Jays
- Citizens Bank Park
- Doubleheader beginning at 4:05 pm
- NBC Sports Philadelphia
- Sportsradio 94 WIP
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