Did the Philadelphia Phillies look like a team Tuesday night that would make the playoffs in a normal season? Considering they surrendered 10 hits and didn’t jump all over one of the worst qualified pitchers in the league, the answer would probably be no.
However, it’s not a normal season. Eight teams are going to the playoffs in the National League, not the usual five. There are only 60 games. You don’t need to hold it together over the course of six months, you just need to be good enough to sneak into the playoffs.
The Phillies played at a level Tuesday night that was, well, just good enough. And considering they are now 24-23, even with the Miami Marlins again, the Phillies may have inched closer to snapping an eight-year postseason drought on Tuesday.
Top Plays
- In the home half of the first inning, Mets third baseman J.D. Davis made a tremendous play to keep Andrew McCutchen from leading off with an infield single:
- The Phillies scored first Tuesday, with Adam Haseley lining a two-run, pinch-hit single into left-center field with the bases loaded:
- With runners on second and third, Roman Quinn hit a ball to deep right field, only for Michael Conforto to run it down, the latest in a stretch of great plays in right field to rob the Phillies of runs over the past few days:
- In the top of the fifth inning, the Mets quickly cut into the Phillies newfound lead. Brandon Nimmo led off with a 385-foot home run over the right field wall for the Mets:
- With two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, Davis nearly made one of the more unique plays ever:
- However, on the first pitch after Davis was unable to complete the play, Didi Gregorius gave the Phillies some breathing room with a two-run home run:
- Arrieta left the game after 5 1/3 innings with what appeared to be a right hamstring injury. He departed the game with the bases loaded and one out. Luckily for the Phillies, JoJo Romero came in and immediately induced an inning-ending double play off the bat of Wilson Ramos.
- Even after an inexcusable throwing error from Scott Kingery, Tommy Hunter was able to strand runners on second and third base to end the eighth inning, and hold the Phillies lead at three.
- The trio of Romero, Hunter and Héctor Neris were excellent in relief of Arrieta on Tuesday. They held the Mets to just two hits and no runs over 3 2/3 innings.
Shibe Vintage Sports Starting Pitching Performance
- Was Rick Porcello good for the Mets on Tuesday? Not particularly. But when you consider the former American League Cy Young Award winner entered the game with a 6.07 ERA, he gave the Mets about as much as they could have hoped for. Over six innings, the 31-year-old righty allowed six hits and four runs, while striking out five.
- Give Jake Arrieta credit. He didn’t have his best stuff tonight, and hasn’t for much of his Phillies tenure. Still, he was able to dance around trouble Tuesday, in what might have been his final start as a Phillie. The 34-year-old scattered eight hits across 5 1/3 innings, limiting the Mets to just one run. Granted, he left the game with the bases loaded because of an injury (see below), but tonight was probably about what he’s capable of at this stage of his career:
Ticket IQ Next Game
- Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020 vs. New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park
- 7:05 p.m. ET
- NBC Sports Philadelphia, ESPN (out of market only)
- SportsRadio 94 WIP
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