Philadelphia – Francisco Lindor may not kill, but signs of life are beginning to appear in the rest of this Mets lineup.
Most welcomed by Michael Conforto and Jeff McNeill, who clearly spent the first month of this season in a slip. Dominic Smith’s recent recession is also over.
Sunday night it came together as a six-run eighth inning for the Mets in an 8-7 win over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The Mets (11–11) won their second straight match and their scoring was the best match of the season. This gave the Mets a consecutive game of at least five runs for the first time this season.
Somehow the Mets finished ninth. Rhys Hoskins appeared to hit a game-tying homer with Edwin Diaz alongside two outsiders, but the call was overturned by a review from the crew chief. Hoskins was awarded two runs, and Jears Familia entered to dismiss Bryce Harper, ending it. Diaz allowed three earned runs on two walks and two hits in his first real meltdown of the season.
In a huge eighth inning, the Mets sent 10 batters to the plate and saved the Phillies bullpen – including Jose Alvarado – for his role in vacating the benches three games a day (he was appealing) on Friday night Was emptied.
Petes Alonso gave a big hit in the eighth, three-run double as the Mets rallied to take the lead. Kevin Pilar led the inning and Jonathan Willer’s cautious base-running contributed another run. While playing, pinch-hitter Jose Perza singled Hoskins’ glove, with the ball behind him. Willer initially fell to third, but Phyllis went unnoticed and broke into the plate to tie it 4-4. Conforto later went – reaching his fourth time on base in the game – providing a cushion for Alonso’s double to right-center before a go-ahead run. Roman Quinn delivered an RBI triple stroke against Edwin Diaz in the ninth on one night, with the Mets bullpen giving up four runs, three of which were earned.
Lindor went 0-for-5 and saw his average drop to .171. Lindor, who lives for the No. 2 hole in the lineup, has one homer and three RBIs. In his biggest batting of the night, he was retired by Zac Eflin with the bases set for the end of the sixth inning.
Miguel Castro surrendered a three-goal homer in the sixth inning to Didi Gregorius, who gave the Phillies a 4–2 lead. The explosion ended a 19-inch scorching streak by the Mets relievers.
David Peterson gave the Mets a chance with eight strikes on five hits, allowing one earned run on four hits and two walks. It was the second straight start for the left-hander, who scored two earned runs in six innings against the Red Sox last week.
After Smith’s second double, the Mets took a 2–1 lead in the sixth. Pilar sang and brought James McCann’s fielder’s choice to the run. But the Mets missed a chance to extend that lead as Lindor retired with bases loaded in the final.
Conforto’s RBI tied it 1-1 in the third. It continued a solid weekend for Conforto, who blasted a go-homer a day earlier in the ninth inning after a two-run double lining against Jacques Wheeler.
Andrew McKinnon opened the third pitch of Peterson’s game for the leadoff homer, but the Mets avoided further losses in the inning with the help of McNeil’s gloves, after which Hawkins departed and Bryce Harper sang.
Alex Böhm hit a shot through the middle that McNeil dropped down and began an end-to-end double play to overturn Lindor. McNeil’s quick reflex saved at least one run and perhaps a single fumble extended innings.
Smith advanced to number two and was dismissed by Quinn attempting a goal on Pilar’s single.
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