Game Recap: Mets Show Some Fire in 6-5 Win Over Phillies

Perhaps we can mark this date as a turning point in the Mets season.

The New York Mets defeated the Philadelphia Phillies, 6-5 as the bullpen bent but did not break to preserve the important win. (box score).

But this game will be remembered because of a four-hit game by All-Star Jeff McNeil described below and a rare show of emotions from the front office on down.

It was learned that after the Mets loss yesterday to the Phils, Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen had a loud meeting with his management staff replete with a thrown chair. More on this will be covered Sunday on MMO.

Then on the field on Saturday, both Todd Frazier and Mickey Callaway were ejected as a result of Frazier getting hit by a pitch. He was one of three Mets to be plunked in the game.

The bullpen protected a 6-4 lead, and although they gave up a run to make it 6-5, they held the fort to give the Mets a much-needed win

Pitching

Noah Syndergaard made his 17th start of the year for New York.  He retired the Phillies in order in the first but wasn’t sharp thereafter. In the second, after the Mets had scored to take an early lead, he gave up three runs in the second. Rhys Hoskins walked to lead off and one batter later, former Met Jay Bruce belted a homer to the second deck in right to give the Phils a 2-1 lead. It was the 22nd home run for Bruce, eighth as a Phillie. Bruce is 6-19 with four XBHs and seven RBIs against the Mets.

Two batters later, Met nemesis Maikel Franco hit his 13th homer of the year to extend the Phillies lead. It was Franco’s sixth home run against the Mets to go along with 16 RBIs.

After the Mets cut the lead to 3-2. the Phillies answered right back in the top of the third, scoring a single run to go up 4-2. Jean Segura singled and went to second on an error by Syndergaard, He then stole third. It was the 80th stolen base against the Mets this year which leads the Majors. He scored on a double by Hoskins to give the Phils a 4-2 lead.

Syndergaard gave up leadoff singles to Cesar Hernandez and Maikel Franco in the fourth. He escaped trouble by inducing a double play off the bat of Jake Arrieta as he was trying to sacrifice.

In the fifth, Syndergaard worked around walks to Bryce Harper and Rhys Hoskins. It was Noah’s final inning of the night.

Syndergaard’s final line was: 5 IP, 4 ER, 7 H, 3 BB, 3 K, 2 HR, 87 pitches, 4.68 ERA.

Justin Wilson made his 12th appearance for the Mets in the sixth and retired two batters on just six pitches. Acting manager Jim Riggleman called on Robert Gsellman who worked .2 innings and was charged with a HBP to Jean Segura. Steven Matz was the fourth pitcher used as he came in to finish off the seventh. Harper hit a broken-bat single to center to put runners on first and second. After a sharp line-out to third by Hoskins, J.T. Realmuto singled to drive in Segura to make the score 6-5 Mets.

The run given up by the bullpen was its 22nd run allowed in the last 25 games.

Matz started the eighth and gave up an infield single to Hernandez. Riggleman replaced Matz with Seth Lugo who was pitching on consecutive nights. Matz gave up three hits to five batters. Lugo was greeted by Franco who hit a bloop single to center, Franco’s third hit of the game, to put runners on first and second. Lugo did the job as pinch hitter Brad Miller lined out to right for the first out. Then he struck out both Scott Kingery and Jean Segura to end the inning with the Mets still ahead.

Edwin Diaz came into to attempt the save in the ninth. He got Harper on a come-backer for the first out. Hoskins lined out to third for the second out and after a Realmuto hit, Diaz struck out Bruce to earn his 19th save of the year. The Mets win breaks a six-game losing streak to the Phils.

Offense

New York managed 12 hits off Phillies’ pitching on Saturday.

The Mets wasted little time getting on the board in this game as they scored a run in the bottom of the first. Jeff McNeil starting things off with a single. He is now 21-51 (.412 BA) as the first batter of a game. Pete Alonso was plunked in the arm on the very next pitch. The Mets lead the Majors in being hit by a pitch. After a Robinson Cano ground out, Michael Conforto doubled to right scoring McNeil to give the Mets an early 1-0 lead. It was Conforto’s 44th RBI of the year.

The Mets had runners on second and third and only one out, but could not score further as Todd Frazier hit into a fielder’s choice and Dominic Smith flew out to end the inning.

In the second, the Mets found themselves trailing 3-1 but crept a little closer. Amed Rosario and Tomas Nido each singled. Following a strikeout to Noah Syndergaard, McNeil stroked his 99th hit of the season to drive in Rosario to make the score 3-2. It was McNeil’s 36th RBI of the year.

Alonso followed with the third single of the inning, but Nido was given the stop sign at third and did not score. Cano followed with a controversial strikeout on a ball that looked up and in. Conforto popped out to right to end the inning.

In both of the first two innings, the Mets had a runner on third with less than two out, but could not score.

The Mets scored for the third consecutive inning as Frazier singled on the first pitch he saw. He promptly scored on an RBI double by Smith. Dominic now has 15 RBIs for the year. The score was 4-3 Phils at this point. Smith could be criticized for poor base running as it’s an axiom in baseball never to make the first out at third. In each of the first three innings, the Mets got their leadoff man on base and in each scored, he scored.

The Mets were finally kept off the board in the fourth. The inning was noteworthy nonetheless as McNeil collected his third hit of the game. He is 13-20 against Phillie starter Jake Arrieta. It was his ninth three-hit game of the season and 17th since his call-up last year. It was also NcNeil’s 100th hit of the year.

In the fifth, the Mets took the lead. It was a fiery frame as two Mets hitters were hit, and manager Mickey Callaway was ejected after a prolonged argument after Rosario was plunked. The inning started with Frazier getting hit and as he was walking to first, exchanged some words with Arrieta. Somehow, third base umpire Brian Gorman got involved and threw Frazier out of the game. He was replaced by Adeiny Hechavarria.

Smith followed with a double to right-center to put runners on second and third. Then Rosario was plunked and Callaway ran out of the dugout to argue why Arrieta was not thrown out of the game. Instead, Callaway was tossed. The bases were now loaded and Tomas Nido was the next batter. He promptly cleared the bases with a double to the wall to give the Mets a 6-4 lead. The RBIs gave Nido 12 for the year.

The Mets did not score in the sixth and seventh but a word about the eighth. Jeff McNeil stroked his fourth hit of the night in the frame, the fourth time he’s had four hits this year and the seventh in his career. He is hitting an NL leading .356. It was his 54th multi-hit game in 138 games played. It’s the 17th time he’s had a multi-hit game in his last 30 games. He is truly an All-Star and a special player.

Smith and Nido also had multiple hits for the Mets.

On Deck

The Mets finish the first half of the season on Sunday with a matinee against the Phillies at 1:10 PM. Zack Wheeler (6-5, 4.42 ERA) makes the start for the Mets. He has given up only four ER in his last 19.1 IP. Might this be the last time we see Wheeler in a Mets’ uniform?

Phillies’ ace Aaron Nola (7-2, 3.89 ERA) will be on the hill in the finale of the series for Philadelphia. He did not win a game in June but has pitched very well of late. Nola’s allowed only one run in his last 23 innings with 28 strikeouts. He’s coming off a victory on July 2 over the first place Atlanta Braves pitching eight shutout innings.

The game will be telecast by WPIX and broadcast on WCBS 880-AM.