Mets Series Review The Rains in Philadelphia
The Mets had their second series in Philadelphia on Mother's Day Weekend, as they have got used to seeing their rivals from the City of Brotherly Love. The Mets were starting a seven-game road trip that was the reverse of their season-opening trip that saw the start in Philadelphia before a series with the Washington Nationals. The Mets had just finished a series with the Atlanta Braves, failing to win the series, as they split four games, losing the finale 9-2.
The Mets' road trip did not start well as the Phillies jumped to a 4-0 lead, with Francisco Lindor booting a ball while Taijuan Walker was hit hard. With the game coming two days after a doubleheader and the Mets bullpen stretched thin, Buck Showalter had Walker take one for the team, as he gave up seven runs on nine hits in four innings.
Aaron Nola was pitching well for the Phillies, as the Mets trailed 7-0 after six innings, with a second straight loss seemingly assured. Chase Shreve and Adonis Medina did an excellent job out of the pen, as they combined for four innings, allowing three hits, as the Phillies were unable to add to their lead. Starling Marte hit a home run in the seventh inning as Nola exited, pitching seven innings, allowing one run on three hits with seven strikeouts.
Jeurys Familia pitched a perfect inning in the eighth inning as the Phillies looked to finish the game with James Norwood starting the ninth inning with a 7-1 lead. The Mets' chances of winning were infinitesimal; they had lost their last 330 games since 1997 when trailing by six runs in the ninth. That is when the Mets flipped the script.
The Mets' rally began with an infield hit by Starling Marte, who hustled down the line after a grounder to short. Marte's hustle paid off, with Francisco Lindor ending a 0 for 19 slump, with a two-run home run. Pete Alonso followed with a double as Eduardo Escobar, who had a miserable weekend, lined out. Jeff McNeil singled as the Phillies called upon closer Corey Knebel to come into a game that suddenly was getting hairy for Philadelphia. Mark Canha hit a liner off Knebel that scored a run, as the Mets suddenly had the tying run at the plate.
Corey Knebel struck out Dom Smith as the Mets were down to their last out, with J.D. Davis pinch-hitting for Tomas Nido. Davis ripped a double down the line, scoring McNeil and putting the tying run at second. With Travis Jankowski pinch-running for Davis, Brandon Nimmo lined a single, scoring two runs to tie the game 7-7. The Mets had been risen from the grave like the Undertaker and would take the lead on a double by Starling Marte that just missed leaving the park. Edwin Diaz came into pitch and dominated, striking out two as the Mets had a stunning 8-7 win, with Medina earning his first career win.
The Mets had two days to bask in their stunning comeback win as heavy rain rolled into the Northeast. The Friday night game was rescheduled for August 20th, when the Mets return to Philadelphia. The Saturday game was pushed to Sunday, with the Mets now playing a doubleheader on Mother's Day. The Mother's Day doubleheader was the Mets' third doubleheader of the season and the second in five days.
Max Scherzer got the start in the opener of the doubleheader as Kyle Gibson started for the Phillies. Having his start pushed back two days, Scherzer struggled, allowing a home run to Bryce Harper in the first inning. It was the third time Mad Max faced the Phillies, and he did not have his best stuff, gritting through six innings while allowing three runs on ten hits, with seven strikeouts. Gibson meanwhile stymied the Mets until the sixth inning, when Francisco Lindor ripped a double that just missed clearing the fence for a game-tying home run.
The Mets had their chances to rally against the Phillies' bullpen as Seranthony Dominguez walked the first two batters in the seventh. However, he rallied to strike out the side, as three relievers held the Mets hitless over the final three innings, striking out seven as the Mets lost 3-2, with Max Scherzer's string of 15 starts without a loss coming to an end.
Chris Bassitt would take the mound in Game 2 for the Mets, as the Phillies went with a bullpen game. Despite it being the ninth game the Mets had played against the Phillies, it was the first time Bassitt had faced them. In the first inning, Pete Alonso gave the Mets a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer off Cristopher Sanchez. Again it was a two-out rally as Francisco Lindor proceeded with a single. Bassitt pitched around trouble in the early innings as the Phillies had runners in scoring position following a controversial balk call in the first inning. He would escape as he struck out Rhys Hoskins anyway.
Jean Segura hit a home run in the second, and the Phillies got the first two runners on base in the third but could not get the tying run, as Chris Bassitt made the big pitch when needed. Bassitt would retire 11 straight batters as Pete Alonso hit a second home run in the fifth inning to make it 5-1 in favor of the Mets. After the Mets made it 6-1 in the sixth, Bassitt allowed a double to Rhys Hoskins and walked Jean Segura. Buck Showalter called upon Chasen Shreve to end the inning, as Bassitt allowed one run on five hits, with four strikeouts.
Shreve, Drew Smith, and Seth Lugo pitched well in relief, as the Mets won 6-1 to split the doubleheader and win the series, improving to 20-10 on the season. The Mets have played 19 doubleheaders since the start of 2021 and have two more in August. They have played ten more doubleheaders than any other team in MLB.