The New York Mets fell to the Philadelphia Phillies by a score of 6-2 in their third and final game of the series as they were swept to start their road trip (Box Score).
Pitching
Rick Porcello got the start and faired well until serving up three runs in the sixth to cough up the lead.
Final line for Porcello was six innings, four runs, 10 hits, and six strikeouts on the day.
The Phillies bats got things going early in the first inning leading off with three straight hits, which produced a run.
With runners on second and third and one out, Porcello came back to strike out Didi Gregorious before inducing an inning ending grounder to limit the damage.
Porcello had a much better frame in the bottom of the second as he worked around a two out single in a scoreless inning.
In the bottom of the third, Realmuto singled to center with Bryce Harper on first base. Harper attempted to take third but was promptly thrown out by Billy Hamilton for the second out and then Gregorious popped out to end the inning.
Porcello found his groove tossing two more scoreless innings while striking out three batters across this period.
In the bottom of the sixth, J.T. Realmuto led off with a double and Bohm continued his hot hitting slicing an opposite field double off Porcello to tie the game.
That’s when Andrew McCutcheon stepped to the plate and delivered cracking a no doubter for the go-ahead two run homer to put the Phils up 4-2.
Jared Hughes relieved Porcello to start the bottom of the second and Jean Segura reached on a throwing error by Davis. Segura was injured on the play and had to leave the game.
Former Met Neil Walker came in to pinch run for Segura and took second on a passed ball by Ramos. Hughes was able to bounce back to get Rhys Hoskins with a called third strike on a 3-2 pitch.
After intentionally walking Harper, Realmuto grounded to Davis who double clutched his throw which allowed the runner to reach first. The Phillies offense was not done there. Gregorious singled up the middle to score another run extending the lead to 6-2.
Seth Lugo came on for the eighth and worked around back-to-back singles in a scoreless inning.
Offense
Familiar face Zack Wheeler made his first start against his former team going seven strong, allowing two runs on six hits, with four strikeouts, a walk.
With Andres Gimenez on first with two outs in the top of the second, Wilson Ramos dribbled one to third which Alec Bohm fielded and threw over the first baseman’s head.
Gimenez, who was being aggressive, took a chance trying to score all the way from first, but was gunned down at the plate to end the inning.
Luis Guillorme drew a leadoff in the top of the third and was moved over on a Billy Hamilton sac-bunt. However, Brandon Nimmo and Michael Conforto could not get the run home as they struck out in back-to-back at-bats.
J.D. Davis singled to right field to lead off the top of the fourth. Dominic Smith flied out but Robinso Cano singled to put runners on first-and-second for Gimenez.
Gimenez put solid contact on the ball but lined out to right for second out but Wheeler plunked Wilson Ramos to load them up for Guillorme.
Guillorme continued his hot hitting slashing an opposite field double to score two runs and give his team the lead. Unfortunately, Ramos was gunned down at third to end the inning.
Hamilton chopped a grounder to leadoff the fifth trying to beat it out he appeared to suffer a left leg injury. Luckily, he was able to stay in the game.
Cano stroked a two out double off the right field wall in the sixth to setup another situation for the youngster Gimenez. But, Wheeler was able to get Gimenez to chop one back to the mound to escape the threat.
After securing a lead, Wheeler rewarded his team with a 1-2-3 7th inning to end his day.
Adam Morgan entered the eighth and struck out Nimmo and Conforto to start the inning. Davis slugged a two out double, but Smith hit one into the shift to end the frame.
Morgan stayed in to get the first out of the ninth before Joe Girardi brought in Hector Neris.
Promising sign, Jeff McNeil pinch hit in the ninth for his first appearance of the series. McNeil put good wood on the bat but lined out to right field for the final out.
Neris was able to lock it down to secure the sweep for the Phillies.
On Deck
Robert Gsellman will take the hill down in Miami in game one against the Marlins as the Mets look to get back in the win column after losing three in a row.
First pitch is at 7:10 pm EST and the game can be seen on SNY.
