Wheeler Rolls Over Mets Offense as Phils Gain Series Split

No late-inning magic for the Mets on Sunday.

New York remained lethargic at the plate against Phillies starting pitching. The Mets totaled four hits off Phillies starter Zack Wheeler in seven innings, losing 4-2.

Marcus Stroman, who was pulled after one inning with a hip injury his last start, pitched. It’s the fourth time Stroman faced the Phillies this season and his shortest outing yet. Stroman completed three innings, needing 74 pitches to do so. He walked three and struck out three with four runs crossing the plate against. Just two were earned.

The Mets appeared to be riding their high of Saturday’s walk-off. Michael Conforto was the Mets hero that day with a sacrifice fly to score the winning run. He wasn’t done soaring like Superman and dove for a ball in the gap to record the game’s first out. Not to be one-upped, Kevin Pillar (nicknamed Superman) laid out for the second out of the day, robbing J.T. Realmuto of a hit

This was the first out of today's game. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/P9s8Lk2QKT

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) June 27, 2021

It was the last defensive highlight the Mets made all afternoon.

New York had first and third with one out in the bottom of the first. Francisco Lindor hit a ground-rule double and Pete Alonso singled. Lindor was held up at third on the single. Batting fourth, Conforto lined out to third baseman Alec Bohm and James McCann grounded out to end the inning.

Stroman allowed a walk and single with one out in the bottom of the second. Zack Wheeler bunted to move the runners over but ended up safe on a botched catch by Jeff McNeil covering first base. Odubel Herrera hit a sacrifice to right field to score Nick Maton and put Philadelphia up 1-0.

The Phillies tacked on their other three runs in the third. Andrew McCutchen singled and Rhys Hoskins walked to put runners on with no outs. A successful sacrifice bunt from Travis Jankowski was the first out. Bohm grounded out to short, allowing McCutchen to score. Next, Maton doubled scoring Hoskins. Ronald Torreyes grounded to third but ended up safe after a throwing error by Luis Guillorme. Maton scored on the error to make it 4-0. Wheeler struck out to end the inning.

Without his injury-shortened appearance last week, it marked Stroman’s shortest start this season. He had not pitched fewer than five innings since April 24 against Washington. Stroman had significant spin rate drops on every pitch but his splitter.

Corey Oswalt entered in relief, throwing four scoreless innings and struck out four.

The Mets threatened again in the fifth. Billy McKinney led off with a single and Pillar walked putting two runners on. Guillorme lined out to bring Oswalt to the plate. New York opted not to pinch-hit and Oswalt sacrificed the runners over. McNeil’s slump since returning from injury continued. He lined out to center to end the inning. McNeil finished 0-for-12 against the Phillies.

The Mets pinch-hit in the seventh for Oswalt. Dom Smith faced Wheeler with two outs and a runner on first. Wheeler topped the 100 pitch plateau during the at-bat as Smith lined out to end the inning and Wheeler’s afternoon. Wheeler finished with eight strikeouts and two walks. His ERA is 2.20.

In four games, New York plated one run off Phillies starting pitchers in 23 innings.

With Wheeler out the Mets had a chance. Jose Alvarado entered for the eighth. Alvarado got his first batter McNeil to ground out. His second batter Lindor hit his second double of the day. His third batter Alonso singled to score the Mets’ first run. His fourth and fifth batters, Conforto and McCann, struck out. Alvarado escaped.

Philadelphia’s bullpen struggled while watching Oswalt and Drew Smith throw six scoreless innings. Smith entered in the eighth, allowing one hit to Torreyes. No runners reached against Smith in the ninth. He needed 15 total pitches.

Archie Bradley closed the ninth. Almost unsurprisingly the Mets scored. Pillar hit his second home run in two days pulling New York within two. But Philadelphia didn’t blow their fifth save of the series. Bradley retired Guillorme and a pinch-hitting Patrick Mazeika to end the game.

The Mets split the series with the Phillies 2-2. They play a make-up game at Washington tomorrow at 7:05 p.m.

The post Wheeler Rolls Over Mets Offense as Phils Gain Series Split first appeared on Metsmerized Online.