Game 77
Phillies 7 - Mets 6 (Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA)
Mets record: 35-42
Mets streak: Lost 1
WP – Jeff Hoffman (1-1)
LP – Jeff Brigham (0-2)
SV – Craig Kimbrel (11)
Seat on the Korner
We select the star of the game and virtually invite him to a Seat on the Korner, just as Ralph Kiner used to do for his studio postgame show on WOR-channel 9 broadcasts in the early decades of the Mets.
Turner was 2-for-3 with 3 RBI and two runs scored for the Phillies. He hit a solo homer, his 8th, in the 1st inning and delivered an RBI single in the 3rd inning to tie the game 2-2. In the bottom of the 5th inning, Turner walked, stole second, stole third and scored on Omar Narvaez’ throwing error. In his final at bat, Turner was hit on a 2-2 pitch with the bases loaded in the 8th inning to force in the game-winning run.
Need to Know
* In a season full of excruciating losses, perhaps this was the worst one. The Mets let a three-run lead slip away in the 8th inning to lose 7-6 to the Phillies, who had only one hit in the inning. A huge error by Brett Baty, three walks and two hit batters completed the bullpen meltdown for the Mets.
* The Mets lost the series and are 3-7 in rubber games this season.
* Incredibly, they have not won a series on the road since April 17-19 in Los Angeles against the Dodgers (8 losses, 2 splits). Their last series win of any kind was a sweep against the Phillies at Citi Field on May 30-June 1.
* This marked the 12th time this season the Mets have scored six or more runs and lost the game.
* Carlos Carrasco surrendered a solo home run to Turner, the second batter he faced. The Mets have now been outscored 57-22 in the 1st inning this season.
* Jeff McNeil was back in the lineup after missing the game Saturday with a sore wrist. The day off didn’t awaken his bat as the struggling second baseman was 0-for-4 with two weak pop outs and two strikeouts, each chasing a pitch out of the zone for strike three. He’s hitless in his past 14 at bats and 2 for his past 24. His average is down to .260, 66 points off his League-leading .326 last season.
*Jose Quintana had his third rehab start with Brooklyn on Sunday. He pitched well, allowing one run and two hits in four innings. The lefty struck out five, walked one and threw 32 strikes among his 47 pitches.
* The Mets claimed right-hander Reed Garrett off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles. The 30-year-old, who has a career 7.90 ERA in 22 MLB games with the Tigers, Nationals and Orioles and 1.99 ERA in 19 AAA games this season, was optioned to Syracuse.
Turning Point
Trailing 6-3 entering the bottom of the 8th inning, the Phillies scored four runs on only one base hit to take a 7-6 lead. With David Robertson limited and Adam Ottavino and Brooks Raley unavailable, Grant Hartwig pitched two scoreless innings before handing the game over to Josh Walker to start the 8th. Walker issued a walk, allowed a J.T. Realmuto single, and loaded the bases with another walk. Jeff Brigham entered and got a ground ball to third, but Brett Baty double clutched and then threw wildly to second. Instead of a double play, the bases remained loaded and the roof caved in on Brigham, who walked Brandon Marsh to make it 6-5. Brigham then inexplicably hit Kyle Schwarber and Turner with pitches to force in the tying and winning runs.
3 Keys
Pete Alonso drove in three runs, two with a bloop, one with a blast, to lead the Mets offense. In the 3rd inning, with the bases loaded and two outs, Alonso dunked a single just over the outstretched glove of diving Turner to give the Mets a 2-1 lead. Then Alonso led off the 7th with an opposite field home run off reliever Jose Alvarado to put the Mets up 6-3. The home run was his 24th, tying Braves first baseman Matt Olson for most in the National League. His 55 RBI are two off Olson’s League-high mark of 57.
On a day the Mets had a shortened bullpen, Carrasco lasted only four innings and 78 pitches. He did pitch out of a bases loaded one-out jam in the 3rd inning to keep the score tied 2-2 when he struck out Realmuto and got Brandon Stott to line out to center. Carrasco allowed two runs and five hits, struck out five and walked two. He’s pitched only 11.2 innings in his past three starts and has not picked up a win since May 31 against the Phillies.
Baty said after the game his error “cost us the game, cost us the series, cost us momentum.” He’s right. It’s a shame because he was having a good day until that miscue -- two hits, two runs scored and robbed of an extra-base hit to left on a nice running catch by Schwarber.
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