Game Thread: Phillies vs Mets, 7:10 PM
Saturday, September 7, 2019 • 7:10 p.m.
Citi Field • Flushing, NY
LHP Drew Smyly (3-6, 6.65) vs. RHP Marcus Stroman (7-12, 3.28)
SNY • FS1 • WCBS 880 AM • ESPN 1050 AM
Friday night could have easily been the game that ended the Mets season. After going ahead 4-2 in the 8th inning, Diaz allowed a tying homer in the top of the ninth. He struck out the side but things looked bleak. Then the Mets got two outs in the ninth inning. Even bleaker.
A couple of hits later, though, Jeff McNeil was at the plate with runners on the corners on two outs and the Mets team started to believe – smiling in the dugout, hanging over the railing. He got hit and Pete Alonso was brought to the plate.
At that point, it felt inevitable that the Mets were going to win the game. More so when the count was 2-0, slightly less so when it was 2-2, and definite when the count was 3-2. Alonso walked, his jersey was ripped off, the mistakes of the top of the ninth forgotten and now the Mets have a chance to take the series from the Phillies on Saturday.
Mets Lineup
- Amed Rosario SS
- Pete Alonso 1B
- Jeff McNeil 2B
- J.D. Davis LF
- Michael Conforto RF
- Todd Frazier 3B
- Juan Lagares CF
- Tomas Nido C
- Marcus Stroman P
Phillies Lineup
- Cesar Hernandez 2B
- J.T. Realmuto C
- Corey Dickerson LF
- Rhys Hoskins 1B
- Jean Segura SS
- Brad Miller 3B
- Scott Kingery CF
- Adam Haseley RF
- Drew Smyly P
Marcus Stroman looks to do just that. He is 1-1 over six games and 31.2 innings since joining the Mets with a 4.55 ERA, 5.05 FIP, 1.642 WHIP, and 91 ERA+. He is coming off of one his strongest starts since being acquired – and that was against the Phillies. He pitched 6.0 innings allowing two runs from seven hits, two walks, and only one homer. He came out for the seventh, allowed a hit, and was taken out of the game. The Phillies have the following numbers against him:
- Brad Miller 7-30, 2B, 3B, HR, 4 BB, 7 K
- Corey Dickerson 12-30, 4 2B, 2 HR, BB, 4 K
- Logan Morrison 5-25, HR, 3 BB, 4 K
- Jean Segura 3-10, 3 K
- Cesar Hernandez 1-6, HR, K
- Bryce Harper 0-3, 2 K
- Adam Haseley 1-2, 2B, BB
- J.T. Realmuto 0-2
- Rhys Hoskins 1-3, K
The Mets bats draw Drew Smyly today who is 3-6 over 21 games and 17 starts across both the Rangers and the Phillies this year. In 94.2 innings he has a 6.65 ERA, 6.74 FIP, 1.658 WHIP, and 73 ERA+. He’s been better since becoming a Phillie. In eight starts and 43.1 innings, he has a 4.57 ERA, 5.20 FIP, 1.362 WHIP, and 100 ERA+. He’s coming off of his best start since July 21 – last time out he allowed one run on four hits and three walks in 5.1 innings against the Reds. The Mets batters have the following numbers against him:
- Robinson Cano 3-13, 3 K
- Todd Frazier 2-4, 2B, 2 K
- Joe Panik 0-1
Game Notes
Overall in 57 home games this year, J.D. Davis is batting .359 (56-156) with 32 runs, 10 doubles, a triple, 13 homers, 26 RBI, 18 walks, two steals, a .424 OBP, a .686 SLG and a 1.110 OPS. His 1.110 OPS at home ranks third in the majors among players with at least 100 plate appearances.
New York has hit 99 home runs in 65 games at Citi Field this season. The Mets hit 54 home runs through 65 home games last season. Overall, New York socked 75 homers in 81 home games last year. The franchise record for home runs in a season at home is 112 set in 2016.
Justin Wilson has pitched to a 0.79 ERA (two earned runs/22.2 innings) with nine walks and 25 strikeouts in 27 games since coming off the 10-Day IL on July 2. His 0.84 ERA (two earned runs/21.1 innings) since the All-Star break is second in the majors among relievers (min. 10.0 IP). In addition, he has not allowed a run over his last 11 appearances (10.0 IP) with three walks and 12 strikeouts.
Pete Alonso has hit 22 home runs at Citi Field this year. That is the second-most home runs at home in team history…Darryl Strawberry holds the record with 24 home runs at Shea in 1990.
The Mets have 38 wins at home this year, surpassing last season’s total of 37 with 16 home games remaining on their schedule. New York has won 14 of its last 21 home games and is 38-27 at Citi Field this year. The Mets will play
16 of their remaining 23 games at home. New York’s 16 remaining home games are the most in the majors. The Mets’ .585 home winning percentage is the sixth-best in the National League. The Mets have gone 15-8 at home since the break.
Let’s Go Mets!
