Categories: 2021 Postgame Recaps

Velasquez struggles with control, Phillies lose for first time in 2021

Vince Velasquez struggled Tuesday. (Ian D’Andrea)

Final Score: Mets 8, Phillies 4

There was a lot of new at Citizens Bank Park Tuesday night. Chase Anderson made his Phillies debut. Matt Joyce made his first start for the Phillies, leading off and playing in left field. The baseball world continues to get used to Francisco Lindor playing for the Mets after seven seasons in Cleveland.

But for all the new in South Philadelphia Tuesday, it was a familiar problem – Vince Velasquez’s inability to work back-to-back efficient innings – that doomed the Phillies in their first loss of the season.

Top Plays

After three scoreless innings, Mets left fielder Dominic Smith, not in the lineup Monday, crushed an opposite-field home run off of Chase Anderson. It was a two-run blast, which travelled 390 feet:

Didi Gregorius cut the Mets lead in half in the home half of the fourth, hitting a ball 106.7 mph over the center field wall:

With one out and J.T. Realmuto on second base, Gregorius smoked a ball down the first-base line, but Pete Alonso and Marcus Stroman combined to make a tremendous play, saving a run. Jean Segura would ground out to end the inning, stranding Realmuto at third base:

After striking out the side in the top of the sixth inning, Vince Velasquez returned for a second frame, and it didn’t go well. Velasquez walked the bases loaded, and it took the Phillies a perplexing amount of time to get another pitcher up. By the time Brandon Kintzler was ready to come in, Velasquez had walked a run in. The 28-year-old was booed as he walked off the mound.
Kintzler inherited a bases-loaded jam, with Francisco Lindor set to come to the plate. Kintzler retired Lindor, but it came on a sacrifice fly, allowing the Mets to go up 4-1.
Kevin Pillar was able to advance home after a J.T. Realmuto throw to second – attempting to throw out Brandon Nimmo – kicked away.
Michael Conforto delivered another blow, extending the Mets lead to 6-1 on an RBI double.
Rhys Hoskins delivered an RBI single off the bench in the bottom of the seventh, plating Adam Haseley, who had double in the prior at-bat.
Miguel Castro bordered on disaster out of the bullpen for the Mets in the seventh inning, but ultimately held the Phillies to just one run. With runners on second and third base, Bryce Harper scorched a ball to left-center field, but it was tracked down by Nimmo to end the threat.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Phillies stranded runners on second and third base. Brad Miller was called out on strikes, much to his chagrin. Technically, he was correct – the pitch that landed him with his fourth strikeout of the night was inside. However, it was perhaps too close to take. Roman Quinn followed Miller with an inning-ending strikeout of his own.
Alonso blew the game wide open in the top of the ninth inning with a two-run home run off of David Hale:

The Phillies added a third run when Rhys Hoskins doubled with Adam Haseley on first base. As Hoskins slid into second base, the ball hit off of him, allowing Haseley to advance from third base to home. With an RBI fielder’s choice off the bat of Realmuto, the Phillies cut the Mets lead to four. Ultimately, though, Gregorius flew out to end the game.

Shibe Vintage Sports Starting Pitching Performance

Marcus Stroman was excellent in his first start since Sept. 27, 2019. The former American League All-Star limited the Phillies to just three hits and one run over six innings.
Chase Anderson wasn’t spectacular in his Phillies debut, but considering he’s the No. 5 starter, he turned in a pretty solid performance. The 33-year-old righty went five innings Tuesday, allowing two hits and two earned runs, while striking out three and walking two.

Phillies Nuggets Player of the Game: Pete Alonso

Alonso had a home run, double, walk and key defensive play in Tuesday’s Mets victory. The 2019 National League Rookie of the Year disappointed some in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, but looks good in the early going of 2021.

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