Barely faltered: Phillies get much-needed win thanks to improbable pitching performance

Final Score: Phillies 4, Mets 1

Bailey Falter threw 26 pitches in the first inning, just 12 of which were strikes. The Philadelphia Phillies’ spot starter allowed one run to score on a bases-loaded wild pitch in an ugly opening frame.

After losing the first game of a doubleheader and three overall coming into Saturday night’s game, it felt like the Phillies were headed for a drubbing at the hand of the New York Mets.

Instead, Falter settled in to deliver perhaps the most impressive start of his career.

The 25-year-old entered the game with a 4.85 ERA, 5.71 FIP and -0.2 fWAR over 39 innings this season. But against a Mets team that’s a legitimate World Series contender, Falter gave the Phillies six solid innings, allowing just two hits and one run.

While the Phillies left 11 runners on base Saturday night, four runs proved to be enough. Two of those three runs came on an Alec Bohm double in the third inning that was fair by the slimmest of margins:

Fair by a mile. pic.twitter.com/7CEebGDewR

— Phillies Nation (@PhilliesNation) August 21, 2022

José Alvarado pitched a scoreless seventh inning, before David Robertson recorded a two-inning save to end the game.

With the win, the Phillies improve to 66-54, snapping a three-game losing streak in the process. Meanwhile, the National League East-leading Mets fall to 78-44.

The Phillies will look to earn a series split Sunday afternoon when they send Kyle Gibson to the mound

Shibe Vintage Sports Starting Pitching Performance

• David Peterson flirted with disaster at times Saturday evening, but ultimately scattered eight hits and three runs over 4 2/3 innings, while striking out six.
• Bailey Falter overcame a shaky first inning to turn in an excellent start in Game 2, limiting the Mets to just two hits and one run over six innings.

Phillies Nugget Of The Game

David Robertson now has pitched seven full innings since being re-acquired by the Phillies. That's more than his entire first stint with the team.

— Tim Kelly (@TimKellySports) August 21, 2022

Ticket IQ Next Game

• Sunday, Aug. 21 vs. Mets at Citizens Bank Park
• 1:35 p.m. ET
• TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia
• Radio: 1210 WPHT
• Spanish Radio: WTTM 1680

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