Phillies win battle of bullpens to start season 4-0
Final Score: Phillies 5, Mets 3
The Phillies sent nine batters to the plate in the eighth inning and they provided all the offense needed for a 5-3 victory over the Mets on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park.
With the bases loaded, Bryce Harper was hit by a pitch to drive in the team’s first run of the night. Up until then, the Phillies’ bats were stymied by Mets ace Jacob deGrom. J.T. Realmuto followed with an RBI single, and the team added three more runs on an error and sacrifice fly.
Meanwhile, the Phillies bullpen pitched a solid five+ innings to secure the win.
Shibe Vintage Sports Starting Pitching Performance
Matt Moore: 3.1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 4 BB 4 K
Overall, Matt Moore’s first outing in red pinstripes was mediocre. After recording six straight outs to start the game, he ran into some trouble in the third. Two walks helped to load the bases, but Moore was able to induce a groundout to end the inning. In his pregame press conference, manager Joe Girardi said he wanted to let his starter pitch as long as possible tonight. Unfortunately, he didn’t make it out of the fourth.
Moore walked two batters to begin the fourth inning, then wind gusts kept a deep fly ball by Jeff McNeil inside the park for the first out. James McCann followed with an RBI single for his first hit in a Met uniform. Those same winds then caused Adam Haseley to misjudge a pop fly in shallow center that dropped in front of him to load the bases. Jacob deGrom helped himself at the plate with a blooper RBI single, his second hit of the night to put the Mets up 2-0.
Jacob deGrom: 6.0 IP 3 H, 0 ER, 7 K
On the mound, deGrom was cruising, firing his trademark four-seam fastball much of the evening. Rhys Hoskins seemed to get a hold of one in the first, but the ball hit off the top of the right-center field fence and Hoskins was thrown out trying to stretch a triple. Yet, deGrom was pulled relatively early by Mets manager Luis Rojas. The two-time Cy Young winner was cruising through six innings – still firing over 100 mph – with 77 pitches and a 2-0 lead.
Thus the game became a battle of the bullpens – and for the fourth time this season, the Phillies relievers took care of business.
Game Notes
* Against Jacob deGrom, the Phillies managed just three hits and two walks (both by Bryce Harper).
(Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire)
* Brandon Kintzler relieved Phillies starter Matt Moore in the fourth and pitched out of a bases loaded jam courtesy of a double play ground out. It was a useful two-inning appearance for the righty with the bullpen short-staffed after the weekend series against the Braves.
* Kintzler’s performance was followed in succession by Sam Coonrod striking out the side in the seventh and Connor Brogdon retiring the Mets in order in the eighth.
* As he suggested pregame, Joe Girardi brought in Jose Alvarado to close the game with Hector Neris unavailable. Alvarado allowed three singles and a run but battled to record the final out.
* Matt Joyce
pinch hit in the fifth inning for his first appearance as a Phillie. He hit a sky high pop up on the first pitch, allowing deGrom to escape the fifth after tossing just nine pitches.* In a small step towards normalcy, Phillies fans battled with visiting Mets fans throughout the game over who could cheer the loudest.
* The Phillies have started the season with four straight wins for the fourth time in franchise history.
Phillies Nuggets Player of the Game: The Phillies bullpen
Forget last season, the revamped Phillies bullpen has immediately become a strength of this team. Tonight Brandon Kintzler, Sam Coonrod, Connor Brogdon and Jose Alvarado carried the torch.
Ticket IQ Next Game
- Tuesday, April 6 vs. New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park
- 7:05 pm ET start time
- Probable Pitchers: Chase Anderson (Phillies) vs. Marcus Stroman (Mets).
- TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia; ESPN (out-of-market only)
- Radio: Sportsradio 94 WIP
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