Mets Break Phillies Six-Game Winning Streak with Extra-Inning Victory
Before yesterday’s matchup, the red-hot National League’s leading 31-13 Philadelphia Phillies were on a six-game winning streak. With the Phillies having the best record in the National League, the team has showcased through the first month and a half of the season that they are certainly a World Series contender. The Mets have been trying to make the jump back into the playoff conversation for the past few weeks, and yesterday in the final game of their three-game series with Philadelphia, the Mets snapped the Phillies win streak with an extra-inning 6-5 victory over their divisional rival. New York has a 20-23 record, fourth in the NL East division, and they’re 10 games back from the now 31-14 first-place Phillies.
During the top of the first inning, Mets first baseman Pete Alonso cracked his 10th home run of the season, a solo shot to left-center field. In the next inning, third baseman Brett Baty ripped an RBI double down the right-field line to give New York an early 2-0 lead. A few innings later in the top of the fourth inning, Mets right fielder Starling Marte lined the ball directly into Phillies pitcher Taijuan Walker's ankle. Walker left the game immediately after this play. Philadelphia got on the board during the top of the sixth inning when third baseman Alec Bohm knocked an RBI single into left field. The next batter, Nick Castellanos hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game up. The Phillies would take the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning when designated hitter Kyle Schwarber pummeled an RBI double to right field. In the next half inning, Mets outfielder Harrison Bader hit the game-tying ground ball single to make this a 3-3 ballgame.
A couple of batters later, Pete Alonso would score off of a wild pitch from Phillies pitcher Jeff Hoffman. Phillies pinch hitter Bryson Stott tied the game up at four when he hit an RBI ground ball single to right field. This game would stay tied at four heading into extra innings. During the top of the eleventh inning, New York’s designated hitter J. D. Martinez hit the game’s go-ahead RBI single to right field. A few batters later, Martinez would score off of a wild pitch from Phillies pitcher José Alvarado giving the Mets a 6-4 lead with the Phillies now having last licks. Bryson Stott hit an RBI groundout to make it a one-run deficit for Philly. Mets pitcher Jake Diekman struck out Kyle Schwarber to give the Mets a huge win over their divisional rival.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said, “I thought it was a good time just -- again, I don’t want to call it a meeting, but just more like a walkthrough after the game with guys. Making sure that they’re keeping their heads up.” Can the Mets deliver and enter the playoff conversation come June? Will the Phillies continue to dominate and lead the National League?
