The Phillies rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to beat the New York Mets, 5-2, in the season finale on Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park.
The Phils scored the tying run on a double error by Mets first baseman Lucas Duda. Cesar Hernandez drove in the go-ahead run with a single and Jimmy Paredes added some cushion with a sacrifice fly to center.
The Phils tacked on a run in the ninth.
The Phillies finished their 134th season with a 71-91 record, an improvement of eight wins over last year’s 63-99 record.
The Phillies went 7-12 against the Mets, who are headed for the postseason.
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The game marked the end of Ryan Howard’s time with the Phillies. The former National League MVP was honored before the game and went hitless in four at-bats. Howard started at first base. He left the game to a standing ovation from the crowd of 36,935 in the top of the ninth.
Starting pitching report
Jerad Eickhoff finished a stellar season. He pitched six innings in his 33rd start and gave up just four hits and a run. He walked one and struck out eight.
Eickhoff, who joined the Phillies from Texas in the Cole Hamels trade last year, finished his first full season in the majors at 11-14. He had a 3.65 ERA. He is just one of six Phillies pitchers in the last 20 seasons to make at least 33 starts and finish with an ERA under 3.75. Cole Hamels did it three times, Curt Schilling did it twice and Jamie Moyer, Brett Myers and Roy Halladay did it once.
Having clinched a National League wild-card playoff berth on Saturday, the Mets chose to save scheduled starter Noah Syndergaard for the playoffs. Gabriel Ynoa made the start and held the Phillies to a run over 4 2/3 innings.
Bullpen report
Joely Rodriguez continued to impress. He came on and got a big double play to end the top of the eighth. Rodriguez has put himself in position to make the club as a lefty in the bullpen next season.
Colton Murray got the win, his first in the majors.
Hector Neris earned the save in his 79th appearance of the season.
Mets reliever Erik Goeddel took the loss.
At the plate
The Phillies had three hits in the third inning, capped by Maikel Franco’s RBI single. Franco finished the season with a team-high 88 RBIs. He had four hits in the game.
Alejandro De Aza had an RBI single in the sixth inning for the Mets. Kevin Plawecki broke a 1-1 tie with an RBI double in the top of the seventh.
Up next
The Phillies front office will have a busy offseason as it looks to improve the club.
