With the Wildcard all sewn up, and the number 4 overall seed in the National League in the bag. The Phillies hit the road to close out the 2023 regular season. In their crosshairs the snake bitten, worst luck ever New York Mets. The Phillies will look to rest and finish up evaluations that will shape their post-season roster. The Mets are closing a dreadful 2023 season that saw them start as a favorite in both the National League East and National League. Injuries and bad personal decisions shaped the Met’s collapse in 2023.
Friday
Rain, Rain, go away please!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Saturday
Let’s play two. Due to the field conditions at Citi Field and the biblical rainfall in the greater New York metropolitan area, Friday’s game was postponed. It’s double header time.
Game 1
Tylor Megill pitched a career-high 7 1/3 innings and tried out a splitter he learned from teammate Kodia Senga, helping the Mets beat the Phillies 4-3 in a doubleheader opener Saturday. Taijuan Walker (15-6), in line to start Game 3 of an NL Wild Card Series on Thursday, allowed four runs in the first two innings. then followed with five scoreless innings.
Megill (9-8), who started a five-pitcher no-hitter against the Phillies on April 29 last year, gave up singles to J.T. Realmuto in the fourth and sixth before singles by Weston Wilson and Jake Cave leading off the eighth. Cristian Pache flew out and Brooks Raley allowed a two-out RBI single to Edmundo Sosa before striking out Bryce Harper with runners at second and third.
Megill, whose previous high was seven innings against the Yankees in September 2021, gave up four hits and struck out seven. Adam Ottavino gave up Brandon Marsh’s RBI double and Weston Wilson’s run-scoring single. With Wilson at third base, Ottavino struck out Jake Cave, retiring Pache on a flyout for his 12th save in 15 chances. Walker finished the season with a 7.04 first-inning ERA — and a 3.81 ERA in the innings that followed. In the second game of a doubleheader caused by Friday’s rainout,
José Quintana (3-6, 3.39 ERA) was to start for the Mets. Michael Plassmeyer was to make his season debut for the Phillies.
Game 2
Álvarez, who sat out the opener, hit a two-run homer off the signage along the second deck in left field to cap a three-run second against Michael Plassmeyer (0-1). He hit his slam off Plassmeyer almost to the same spot, extending the Mets’ lead to 8-0 in the third. Plassmeyer, pitching for the Phillies for the first time since last Oct. 5, surrendered 10 runs — nine earned — in 3 2/3 innings.
The 31-year-old Alvarez has 26 career homers, the most by a catcher before his 22nd birthday since Johnny Bench’s 42 for Cincinnati from 1967-69. Brett Batty and Tim Locastro had run-scoring singles while Francisco Lindor hit his 31st homer. Christian Pache laced a run-scoring single and Kyle Schwarber followed with a three-run homer in the fourth off José Quintana, who struck out five in four innings. Reed Garrett (1-0) struck out four over three innings to earn his first big league win.
Sunday
Alec Bohm hit a tiebreaking homer in the sixth inning, sending the Phillies to a 9-1 victory Sunday in Buck Showalter’s final game as the Mets manager. Next up for the Phillies in the NLWCS will be the Miami Marlins in a best-of-three National League wild-card series starting Tuesday.
Brandon Marsh homered and finished with four RBI for the Phillies (90-72), who won four more games than a season ago when they qualified as the final wild card in the NL before reaching the World Series. Bryson Stott, Johan Rojas, and Garrett Stubbs each had RBI hits, and Bohm also had a sacrifice fly.
Matt Strahm tossed a perfect first inning as an opener before Nick Nelson (1-0) won his season debut with 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball. José Butto (1-4) gave up two runs and struck out four in six innings. Tim Locastro homered in the third — the first of just two hits for the Mets. Phillies: RHP Zack Wheeler (13-6, 3.61 ERA) will start the wild-card series opener Tuesday in Philadelphia against Miami.
Matt Bednarczyk is your host of Talking Philly Sports With Matty B. He is a proud retired US Army Sergeant First Class, he is also a combat veteran with over 80 months served in Afganistan, and Iraq . Huge Hockey Fan. Matt is a lifelong 4 for 4 Philly sports fan. Born and raised on the Mayfair and Tacony neighborhood lines of Northeast Philly. He brings over 40 years of Philadelphia Sports passion and provides a realistic look at our Major Sports Teams and the most passionate sports fans on the planet. Look for his show live on Edge of Philly Sports.
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