Phillies 2, Mets 1 (Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA)
Mets Record: 81-68
Mets Streak: L2
Mets Last 10: 6-4
WP: Jose Ruiz (4-1)
LP: Edwin Diaz (5-4)
Seat On The Korner: J.T. Realmuto
We select the star of the game and virtually invite him to a Seat on the Korner, just as Ralph Kiner used to do for his studio postgame show on WOR-channel 9 broadcasts in the early decades of the Mets.
Today's Seat On The Korner goes to J.T. Realmuto. The Mets schose to pitch to the Phillies catcher with a base open in a tie game in the bottom of the ninth. Spoiler alert: This is also the Turning Point (see below).
Need To Know:
The Phillies have now won 32 straight games this year when their starters have gone at least seven innings. It is the second longest streak ever, dating back to World War II when the 1943 New York Giants won 42 consecutive games when their starter went seven.
Every game is crucial for the Mets as they try to grab the last playoff spot. The club returns to New York on Monday for the last homestand of the year with three against Washington and four more against the Phillies before finishing on the road in Atlanta and Milwaukee.
On Monday Shawn Manaea (11-5, 3.35 ERA) faces Washington's Jake Irvin (10-12, 4.19). Irvin combined on a 1-0, 1-hit shutout against the Mets on July 4. His next start was at Citi Field and the Mets defeated him, 7-5.
Sunday's game honored Roberto Clemente. Throughout baseball every team wore his number 21 above their heart to honor Puerto Rico's icon, who collected 3,000 hits, four batting titles, and two world championships for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Three months after he collected his 3,000th (and last) career hit against Mets rookie Jon Matlack.
Bryce Harper's 39 home runs are eighth all-time against the Mets. Though Pirates Hall of Famer Willie Stargell has owned this category since the 1960s (and hit the first home run at Shea Stadium in 1964 for bonus points), the Phillies have a lot of representation on the list. Chipper Jones of the Braves (no surprise) collected 49 home runs against the Mets. Matching him at 49 is Phillies legend Mike Schmidt. Former Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard hit 48, tied with San Francisco Hall of Famer Willie McCovey. Hank Aaron of the Braves hit 45 and placing seventh is Mets killer Pat Burrell, another Phillie. Tied with Harper at No. 8 is another Phillie: Mets killer and Ruben Tejada leg breaker Chase Utley. Also clocking in at 39 is some guy named Willie Mays.
Turning Point:
Edwin Diaz pitched the ninth in a tie game in Philadelphia. He allowed a single and then a surprise stolen base to Nick Castellanos. That steal opened up a base, but the Mets opted to pitch to T.J. Realmuto, who dumped a single into right-center to score the winning run. Realmuto is now 6-for-14 career against Diaz with 3 RBI. This marked the first series the Mets have lost a series in a month (dating back eighth series to ther mid-August series with Oakland). It could not have come at a worse time.
Three Keys:
A Sunday Pitcher's Duel
Two left-handers owned the day for the first seven innings. Christopher Sanchez, 27, and David Peterson, 29, matched zeroes for seven innings without either offense putting up much of a fight. Each pitcher allowed just one walk with Peterson fanning six and Sanchez seven. The Mets never did get a runner to second in the game--they came close in the fifth when Julio Iglesias singled, but he was thrown out stealing by J.T. Realmuto. Luis Torrens then walked. Sanchez retired the next two batters. The Mets had the leadoff man on in the seventh on Brandon Nimmo's infield hit, but he never advanced from first base.
Both Starters Crack in the Eighth--A Little
Christopher Sanchez had thrown 19 consecutive scoreless innings for the Phillies, but Tyronne Taylor ended the streak and broke the ice in a 0-0 game to lead off the eighth inning. Taylor, playing because Starling Marte was hit by a pitch in Saturday's game. slammed a ball to left-center for his seventh home run of the year. In the bottom of the inning, little-used Weston Wilson and Buddy Kennedy hit consecutive doubles to tie the game. Kennedy had made a heads up play at second base to keep a deflected ball on the infield to prevent the Mets from scoring a second run. Julio Inglesias made a superb catch on David Peterson's bullet throw on Johan Rojas sacrifice bunt got the first out. Then Peterson induced Kyle Schwarber to ground out to a drawn-in infield. It marked Peterson's longest outing of the year, but it was his 99th and final pitch. Phil Maton entered the game and retired Trea Turner on a flyball to end the inning.
Lindor In, Then Out
Mets shortstop and MVP candidate Francisco Lindor missed his first start of the year on Saturday after injuring his ankle on a double on Friday night. He led off Sunday's game with a single and made the play on a ball hit to him in the bottom of the inning. He moved awkwardly on both plays and took himself out of the game. Luisangel Acuña, who made his major league debut on Saturday, took over for Lindor. His availability and health will be a concern the rest of the season.
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