Philadelphia – A horrific night at Citizens Bank Park became a major cold that escalated beyond the weather conditions and lack of Mets.
The bench was empty twice. Marcus Strowman departed first with a tight hamstring. Buried somewhere in the story was the Mets’ third straight loss and seventh in nine matches, 2–1 to the Phillies.
Jose Alvarado and Dominic Smith jolted when the Fillings’ fireball left the Mets fielder and pointed at him for the end of the eighth inning. Both teams were dropped on the field, without punches.
Rewind to Citi Field on 13 April. Alvarado threw a pitch near Michael Conforto’s head before he dipped him in the wrist during the doubleheader’s first game. Smith, from the Mets dugout, gave Alvarado an ear that day, setting the stage for Friday night’s theatrics.
“I have no objection to the pamping strike, to pimping stuff on the field,” Smith said. He said, “I have never been such a player, but I have no objection to it, I love it.” But he is following me, pointing at me, stuff like that, I mean I’m a big ass man. Come visit me, if you really have a problem and we can really handle it.
“He was waiting for his team to grab him and take the goods, but I’m right there and he can meet me in the tunnel tomorrow if he really wants to get after it.”
According to Mets manager Luis Rojas, Alvarado’s action was unfair.
“You take out your punch, you did what you had to do, you get off the field and leave the game,” said Rosas.
Smith’s strike came to Alvarado after Jeff McNeill began the inning and JD Davis walked with two outs. The runners had advanced to second and third on a wild pitch.
At the end of the innings, Miguel Castro twice threw Rhys Hoskins inside, and the two players exchanged dazzles. Players were streamed on the field again.
“We have been the most hit team in baseball and we have been greatly influenced by the Phillies, whether we go back for years,” Smith said. “It’s not something that’s just beginning to happen and it’s something we’re crying about.”
Strowman was eliminated after only 64 pitches with hamstring tightness. In those five innings, he allowed two unearned runs on eight hits with eight strikes and a walk and reduced his ERA to 1.86. It was the fourth strong start in five for Strowman, who hit back with a volatile performance against the nationals last Saturday.
The right-hander said he hopes to make his next start.
“I know what I have to do here in these four or five days and this staff is incredible,” said Strowman. He said, “It is just a matter of doing whatever we need to do to get there and make it better and strengthen it.” I have 100 percent confidence in my mind that I will be back from there in five days. “
The Mets have scored once in their last 25 innings. Typical absentees at the plate on Friday night were Francisco Lindor, who completed 0-for-5 and he averaged 18.1 dips.
Chase Anderson’s Strowman’s strike should have ended the second inning, except for James McCain for a ball that scored two runs until Anderson reached first base. The runs were useless.
Brad Miller opened the inning, and two outs Andrew Kannap hit a slow grounder, which went for an infield single, as Lindor’s off-balance throw was offline and latched. Strowman drove Odubel Herrera, putting the Mets in a 2–0 hole to load the bases before a strike / pass ball.
In the sixth, the Mets drew a fearsome streak that went 21 innings. Smith delivered an RBI in the inning after being bowled by third baseman Alec Bohm with a JD Davis grounder – the ball was stuck in his glove webbing. Davis was out at first base, but Pete Alonso and Conforto finished second and third in the play. The Mets’ speed died, however, on McCain’s double play grounder.
The Mets glimpsed one rally in the second when Conforto walked and McCain sang, but Anderson was bowled out for the next two. Strowman took the lead from number three and was dropped as he was at the top in placing the order. Davis and Nimmo doubled in the fourth and fifth innings respectively, but were left on base.
Juris Familia ran two batters in the seventh after an error in Alonso’s fielding, but survived a jam-packed outing by removing Andrew McCutchen.
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