Toss this one into the dumpster and forget it existed if you are the Mets. Saturday was “nothing went right” night, unless the bullpen’s conspicuous absence from blame is noted.
Marcus Stroman provided little resistance, but the right-hander didn’t receive defensive help, and the Mets’ lineup was absolutely useless, more than negating Bryce Harper’s precautionary absence a night after he was drilled in the wrist.
That was the recipe for a 5-0 loss to the Phillies at Citi Field that ended the Mets’ two-game winning streak. The Mets can still try to win the series Sunday, before the sizzling Diamondbacks arrive for four games. The Mets, who were shut out for the first time since July 19, remained four games behind the Cubs for the NL’s second wild card.
In his latest blah start, Stroman lasted only four innings and allowed five runs, four earned, on 10 hits with six strikeouts. Stroman has started seven games for the Mets since arriving in a July deal with Toronto and failed to complete six innings in four of them. Overall, he is 1-2 with a 5.05 ERA for the Mets.
“I am extremely frustrated and incredibly angry,” Stroman said. “I definitely wanted to come out hot here and I haven’t.”
Left-hander Drew Smyly, who entered with a 6.65 ERA, handled the Mets by throwing seven shutout innings in which he allowed only just four hits. Pete Alonso’s first-inning double accounted for the only extra-base hit against Smyly, in his first career start against the Mets. The Phillies moved within three games of the Cubs for the second wild card. The Brewers are also three back. The Diamondbacks pose the biggest threat to the Cubs, now just 1 ½ games behind.
Stroman’s night unraveled in the fourth, after J.D. Davis dropped a routine fly ball to left, allowing Scott Kingery to reach first base leading off the inning. The Phillies would score four runs in the inning, one of which was unearned, to bury the Mets in a 5-0 hole.
“We’re missing those early-count outs,” manager Mickey Callaway said. “[Stroman] did that so well when he was in Toronto, those three-pitch outs. It’s a weak ground ball and it keeps your pitch count down. It makes it harder not only to pitch deep into games, but every batter gets to see more and more of your stuff and sooner or later they are going to get you.”
Cesar Hernandez and J.T. Realmuto each delivered an RBI single in the inning, and Corey Dickerson’s two-run double completed the Phillies’ outburst. Davis dropped his head in disgust after Adam Haseley singled following his error. And after Hernandez’s RBI single, Davis pounded his glove in anger.
“It’s not a good feeling, especially when you know that leadoff runner should have been out,” Davis said. “It cost us a run and they took advantage of it.”
Jed Lowrie, who was activated from the injured list before the game, made his Mets debut in a pinch-hitting appearance in the fourth and struck out. It came after consecutive fielding errors by Brad Miller had put runners on first and second.
The Mets loaded the bases in the first inning, but with two outs Todd Frazier was robbed of a big hit by Haseley, whose lunging catch in right field saved at least two runs.
Hernandez homered on a full-count cutter from Stroman leading off the game. The Phillies followed with an infield hit and two bloops to load the bases with one out before Stroman escaped. Among the bloops was a ball Frazier dropped as he ventured into shallow left field.
Stroman’s only clean inning was the third. In the second he had surrendered consecutive two-out singles to Hernandez and Realmuto before striking out Dickerson.
Daniel Zamora, Walker Lockett, Jeurys Familia and Tyler Bashlor combined on five shutout innings behind Stroman.
Purchase event tickets to The Amazin’ 1969 New York Mets: A World Championship for the Ages presented by The Paley Center for Media and New York Post. Enter promo code: NYPOST to unlock tickets only available for Post readers.