Phillies swept by Mets in a nightmarish New York doubleheader originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
It was a terrible Tuesday for the Phillies in New York.
They were swept in a doubleheader by the New York Mets at Citi Field.
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The Mets won the first one, 4-3, in extra innings.
They went on to beat Aaron Nola, 4-0, in the nightcap. Mets starter Marcus Stroman was brilliant in that one. He pitched six shutout innings, gave up just four singles, walked none and struck out three.
Offense was a problem all night for the Phillies.
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They struck out 14 times in the first game and had just six hits, only one for extra bases.
In the nightcap, they had just six singles and did not draw a walk. Two of those singles came with two outs in the final inning.
Doubleheader games are seven innings.
Game 1 went an extra inning.
In that game, the Phillies got a run home in the top of the eighth to break a 2-2 tie.
Hector Neris was called upon to face Pete Alonso with a runner on second and no outs in the bottom of the inning. Alonso tied the game on a base hit. The Mets then loaded the bases on a fielder’s choice, a walk and a single eventually won it on a bases-loaded single by Jonathan Villar.
The Phillies had taken the lead on a two-out hit by Didi Gregorius in the top of the eighth.
Earlier, Jean Segura tied the game at 2-2 with an infield hit with two outs in the sixth inning.
In the nightcap, Nola allowed three runs in the fourth inning. He faced eight batters in the frame, gave up four hits and hit a batter. One of the hits was an infield hit. Another was a soft liner that fell in front of centerfielder Adam Haseley.
The doubleheader loss dropped the Phillies to 6-5 while the Mets improved to 4-3.
Bullpen shines in Game 1
In Game 1, the Phillies’ bullpen was spectacular leading up to the bottom of the eighth. JoJo Romero, Jose Alvarado and Connor Brogdon all turned in a scoreless inning.
Brogdon provided some dazzling work in the bottom of the seventh. He allowed the first two batters of the frame to reach base on a walk and hit batsman. He then struck out Brandon Nimmo and got Francisco Lindor to pop out before striking out Dominic Smith to get out.
For starters
Game 1 starter Chase Anderson gave the Phillies four innings of two-run ball. He paid a price for a leadoff walk to Brandon Nimmo in the bottom of the first inning. Two batters later, Dominic Smith gave the Mets a 2-0 lead with a first-pitch homer to right field. It was Smith’s second home in four games against the Phillies this season.
Anderson did a good job pitching with men on base in the second third and fourth innings. He was removed for a pinch-hitter in the top of fifth.
Taijuan Walker pitched 4 1/3 innings and allowed just a run for the Mets. He allowed three hits and three walks and struck out eight.
Too many strikeouts
The 14 strikeouts in Game 1 gave the Phillies 104 in their first 10 games.
Walker struck out seven of the Phillies’ first 11 hitters in Game 1.
Andrew McCutchen and Rhys Hoskins, the top two hitters in the Phillies’ lineup, were a combined 0 for 7 with six strikeouts in Game 1.
McCutchen’s strikeout in the fifth inning hurt. Down by a run with one out, the Phillies put two men on base as Andrew Knapp and pinch-hitter Brad Miller drew walks against Walker. Reliever Miguel Castro came on and struck out McCutchen on four pitches.
The Phillies then ran themselves out of the inning when Roman Quinn was caught trying to steal third base with Rhys Hoskins at the plate.
Quinn had stolen 22 straight dating to last season. Quinn had the bag stolen but he slid over the and appeared to start running home because he thought the high throw had sailed into left field. Mets third baseman Luis Guillorme made a leaping play on the throw and tagged Quinn out.
Mets killer
The Phils also had a couple men on base in the fourth inning of Game 1 but couldn’t push across the tying run after Segura grounded into a double play to end the frame.
Segura atoned with two outs in the top of the sixth when he legged out a game-tying infield hit on a slow roller to third base.
Segura went 2 for 3 in Game 1 and, heading into Game 2, was 44 for 114 (.386) as a Phillie against Mets pitching.
Streaking
Gregorius has opened the season with an 11-game hitting streak.
Up next
The series continues on Wednesday night. Zack Wheeler (1-1, 2.31) pitches for the Phillies against lefty David Peterson (0-1, 13.50).
