Bryce Harper ejected as Phillies fall to Mets

FINAL: Mets 5, Phillies 1

As the Philadelphia Phillies fell to the New York Mets in their attempt to win 11 times in 12 games, their biggest star was not on the field for the contest’s completion.

A fired-up Bryce Harper was ejected in the middle of the fifth inning of the Phillies’ 5-1 loss at Citi Field Saturday night.

Rhys Hoskins provided the only run for the Phillies with a home run in the second at-bat of the game. Rookie Spencer Howard started on the mound, but was outdueled by Mets starter Seth Lugo.

Following five wins in a row, this loss brings the Phillies’ record to 19-16 on the season. They play the third game of this series in New York on Sunday afternoon.

Top Plays

• The first baseman Hoskins blasted a home run to left field in the top of the first inning to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead. It was his seventh home run since the Phillies began their stretch of 10 wins in 12 games.

No slow trot required… pic.twitter.com/Iq1GXFu6AC

— Phillies Nation (@PhilliesNation) September 5, 2020

• Phillies starter Howard allowed a double to Mets left fielder Jeff McNeil to begin the bottom of the third inning. Shortstop Andrés Giménez knocked in McNeil with a single to right field to tie the game. The Mets took another run later in the inning when Michael Conforto hit a bloop single to left, scoring Giménez from third.
• Back-to-back singles from Jean Segura and Alec Bohm put runners on first and second with one out for the Phillies in the top of the fourth, but New York starter Lugo worked out of the jam to keep the 2-1 lead.
• After Howard hit Todd Frazier with a pitch in the bottom of the fourth, McNeil hit his second double of the game. Frazier would score on a sacrifice fly by Giménez to shallow right field caught by second baseman Neil Walker. This gave the Mets a 3-1 lead.
• Bryce Harper was ejected by first base umpire Roberto Ortiz after the top of the fifth inning. This followed a foul call by the umpire on a ball down the first-base line in Harper’s last plate appearance. Roman Quinn entered the game in place of Harper.

For the second time as a Phillie, Bryce Harper has been ejected at Citi Field: pic.twitter.com/4vSHFOD5YP

— Phillies Nation (@PhilliesNation) September 6, 2020

• Left-hander Ranger Suárez made his season debut in the bottom of the fifth in relief of Howard. Suárez gave up a run on a fielder’s choice that extended the Mets’ lead to 4-1.
• Suárez stayed in to begin the sixth, and surrendered another run on an RBI double by Robinson Chirinos. The ball had a chance of being caught in the outfield, potentially saving a run. It deflected off Quinn’s glove before the center fielder crashed into the fence. Right-hander David Hale came in to finish the inning with the score still 5-1 Mets.
• Edwin Díaz closed out the game for New York, securing a 5-1 victory for the Mets.

Shibe Vintage Sports Starting Pitching Performance

Spencer Howard: 4 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 0 HR, 65 pitches

The rookie showed flashes of an advanced arsenal, including a few devastating curveballs, but was still not especially sharp in this outing. While he was certainly hurt by softly-hit balls that fell in for hits and an extremely shallow sacrifice fly, Howard did allow untimely doubles to McNeil and hit Frazier, who would eventually score. His two-run, 27-pitch third inning was where the right-hander struggled most in this four-inning outing.

Seth Lugo: 5 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 1 HR, 81 pitches

Outside of the first-inning home run he gave up to Hoskins, it was a solid outing by Lugo. The 30-year-old started the season as a reliever, and was making just his third start in 2020. This one was his longest and best of the season, and it put the Mets in position to win the ballgame.

Phillies Nuggets Player of the Game: Seth Lugo

Lugo brought his strikeout stuff as well on Saturday night, recording eight strikeouts in just five innings. He put together five frames of good pitching, more than enough to lead the Mets to victory.

Ticket IQ Next Game

• Sunday, Sept. 6 vs. New York Mets, Citi Field, 1:10 p.m.
• NBC Sports Philadelphia
• SportsRadio 94WIP

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