Phillies Bounce Back From No-Hitter, Beat Mets 4-1
The Phillies bounced back in a big way Saturday by beating the division rival Mets 4-1, just one night after being held hitless.
Oh what a difference 24 hours can make! Just last night the Phillies were no-hit in what seemed like one of the potential low points of the season. It was a complete 180 for a club that had just clawed itself back to 10-10 after sweeping the Rockies in a four game series during the week. If anything, it was a wake up call that the Mets, at 15-6 entering the day, were threatening to take complete control of the NL East.
Kyle Gibson didn’t pitch as deep into the ball game as he may have hoped, as he was unable to make it through the 5th inning. Yet Gibson was extremely effective during those 4.1 innings, allowing only two hits and one run. The one run came directly on a throwing error from Gibson, as he fielded a ground ball and proceeded to send the ball over the head of the Jean Segura covering second base and into center field. Gibson also walked a season high five batters tonight. If you are counting that makes nine in his last three starts combined. That’s not usually a winning formula for a pitcher that relies so heavily on command instead of the strikeout.
The way the Phillies were approaching their at bats early in this game, it looked as if they may be shutout for a second consecutive evening. Emotions from the scoreless streak were only exasperated when Odubel Herrera was caught in a run down after reaching third base with one out in the 6th inning. At this point it seemed as if the Phillies were destined to never score again. The bats were silent and the team wasn’t making the routine plays to move runners and score.
But then Kyle Schwarber, who is slashing a paltry 169/.298/.423 to start the season, erased all the negative feelings when he rocketed a 435 ft bomb off Adam Ottavino. The Phillies wouldn’t be done in the 7th inning as Odubel Herrera hit his second double of the night, scoring Alec Bohm, who had reached scoring position thanks to a throwing error from Mets catcher James McCann.
Rhys Hoskins padded the Phillies lead in the 8th inning with a solo home run that put the Phillies up 4-1. Hopefully Hoskins, who dropped back down below the Mendoza line after going 1-4, will get a boost of confidence following the big home run.
I have been at the forefront of heralding the improvement we have seen of late from the Phillies bullpen. The Phillies relief arms tossed 4.2 strong innings of tonight, while managing to wiggle themselves out of a few tough situations. The biggest spot of the night came when Jose Alvarado entered the 5th inning with the bases loaded and only one out. Alvarado proceeded to strike out Eduardo Escobar and Jeff McNeil with two excellent cutters to end the inning and limit the damage one run.
Corey Knebel also entered the 8th inning inheriting a bases loaded jam and got Brandon Nimmo to ground out without any damage being done.
The Phillies bullpen has now stranded 17 consecutive inherited runners. With the addition of the scoreless innings tonight, watch out because Phillies relievers now have a sub-4 ERA.
The Mets left 13 men on base on Saturday night including going 1-7 with runners in scoring position.
How huge would it be for the Phillies to still win the series tomorrow night on national television against Max Scherzer after being no-hit in the opening game?
Fucking huge! Lets get it..Ring The Bell!!
Phillies (11-11) Beat Mets (15-7)
- Winning Pitcher: James Norwood (1-0, 3.39)
- Losing Pitcher: Adam Ottavino (1-1, 4.70)
- Save: Corey Knebel (4, 0.96)
Kyle Gibson was able to escape the 1st inning in which the Mets had two runners in scoring position by forcing Escobar to ground out to first base.
Nick Castellanos break the Phillies hitless streak at 10 innings. Thank god!
Kyle Gibson ended up killing himself in the 5th inning in big part due to this throwing error on what could have been an inning ending double play.
Francisco Lindor put the Mets on the board with a dribbler to Rhys Hoskins who quite make the throw home in time.
1-0 Mets
I recently have found myself leaving the room when Jose Alvarado take the mound. It’s not that he is that much worse than any of the other Phillies bullpen pitchers but I find him wholly unpredictable. Alvarado came through absolutely huge for the Phils tonight coming in with the bases loaded in the 5th inning and retiring Escobar and McNeil consecutively.
Gotta love that emotion from Jose!
Rhys Hoskins grounds the first pitch of the at bat sharply to third base causing the aloof Odubel Herrera to get caught in a run down. Just a terrible play for a team who has failed to manufacture anything on offense for the past game and a half.
Kyle Schwarber ended the Phillies 15 inning scoreless streak with a golf-esque swing for a two run home run to center field.
2-1 Phillies
Odubel Herrera slaps his second double of the night on a fastball from Adam Ottavino down the left field line to score Alec Bohm.
3-1 Phillies
Rhys Hoskins takes Sean Reid Foley deep to left field for a 403 feet bomb to increase the Phillies lead.
4-1 Phillies
For the second time tonight, a Phillies reliever entered an inning with the bases loaded. Corey Knebel was able to retire Brandon Nimmo and keep the Phillies lead at three runs. Knebel picked up the four out save and has been excellent so far this season.
Up Next
The Phillies will look to actually get a hit and save face Saturday, as they take on Mets in the second game of the series at Citi Field.
Zach Eflin (2-1, 3.20) will toe the rubber facing off against Max Scherzer (3-0, 1.80) with the first pitch scheduled for 7:00 pm.
The game will be broadcast on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball
