Thursday night, the Philadelphia Phillies handed the New York Mets a brutal reality check, completing a four-game sweep with a 6-4 victory in the finale at LoanDepot Park. The loss was the Mets’ sixth consecutive defeat, dropping their record to 76-71, while the Phillies improved to 87-60. Once holding a five-game cushion in the National League Wild Card race over Labor Day Weekend, the Mets now cling to a slim 1.5-game lead over the Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants for the final playoff spot, effectively 2.5 games over San Francisco due to the tiebreaker.
The loss and the series sweep left the Mets fans fuming, with many venting their anger over the team’s dismal showing.
“Never seen a pro team with more quit in it than this one. Softest baseball team this century,” one fan wrote.
“No heart. No toughness. No leadership from a single player,” another fan added.
“Just do us all a favor and forfeit the rest of the season, can’t bear watching this team much longer. No heart, no consistency,” another fan added.
“Overpaid quitters!” one more fan added.
“Get rid of everyone,” another fan demanded.
The Mets began Thursday’s matchup with a strong offensive burst, scoring four runs in the first inning against Phillies left-hander Jesús Luzardo. Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto singled back-to-back, accompanied by a successful double steal, followed by an RBI single from Mark Vientos and a single from Brandon Nimmo. Starling Marte added a double off the top of the left-field wall, giving the Mets a 4-0 lead.
However, Luzardo quickly regained control, retiring 22 consecutive batters and finishing eight innings with four runs allowed on five hits, 10 strikeouts, and no walks. Also, this was the first time a Phillies pitcher allowed four runs in the first inning and completed eight innings since Steve Carlton in 1977.
The Phillies began their comeback in the fourth inning when Otto Kemp launched a two-run homer off David Peterson, the young Mets lefty who had pitched five innings with three earned runs on seven hits, one walk, and eight strikeouts. Bryce Harper’s two-run RBI double in the fifth, aided by a misplay from Jeff McNeil in center field, brought Philadelphia within a run at 4-3.
The sixth inning proved decisive as Reed Garrett struggled out of the bullpen, allowing back-to-back doubles from Nick Castellanos and Kemp, followed by walks to Brandon Marsh and Kyle Schwarber, and singles from Harrison Bader and Harper. The rally produced three runs, handing the Phillies a 6-4 lead. Brooks Raley was unable to stop the damage, though Tyler Rogers and Edwin Diaz pitched perfect innings thereafter. Bader finished 2-for-5 with an RBI and is now 19-for-36 in nine games against his former team.
The Mets’ struggles at the plate continued late, with Soto, Alonso, and Vientos striking out consecutively against Phillies closer Jhoan Duran, who closed the game with three straight swinging strikeouts on just 11 pitches.
