Bryce Harper’s base hit at the bottom of the ninth inning scored Roman Quinn from second base and lifted the Phillies to a dramatic 6-5 win over the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park on Friday night.
Hector Neris blew a lead from one end with two outs in the top of the ninth. It was Neris’ second blown save this week.
The winning run came with some drama. Mets right fielder Michael Conforto made a strong throw to the plate, but Quinn, who had taken a third turn, got his hand to the plate. The play was re-watched and the Phillies roared in triumph when the verdict was made.
The Phillies battled many early mistakes while winning for just the second time in seven games and snapped a losing streak of three games.
The Phils are 6-9.
The Mets are 9-12.
Prospectus exists early
Right-hander Spencer Howard left his second start of the big league at the top of the fourth inning with a blister on the middle finger of his pitching hand.
Howard was not sharp. He allowed seven hits and two walks in 3⅓ innings. He gave up four runs, one of which was not picked up. Howard had trouble locating his off-speed game. He hung an exchange to Dominic Smith and a breaking ball to Robinson Cano and they beat back-to-back homers in the third inning to put the Mets ahead, 4-2.
More will be known about Howard’s condition in the coming days. The Phillies will have to scramble for pitching next week if he misses a start. Vince Velasquez could take Howard’s place, but the Phils will need to start pitching above that, as they play a doubleheader on Thursday.
Acceptably sly
The Phillies, who lost a game to Baltimore earlier this week on two late and ugly misplays, made a host of miscues early in the game.
Shortstop Didi Gregorius collided the switch on a potential double that cost Howard a run in the first inning. They wrongly play three balls in the outfield. JT Realmuto made a throwing error that set up a run. They also made two basic mistakes in scoring position.
In fact, they managed to win the game.
Ironically, another potential mishap turned an important defensive game for the Phillies into the top of the eighth. Billy Hamilton swept the second base and the ball bounced off second baseman Jean Segura as he tried to make the tag. Gregorius woke up the ball and made a perfect throw to Alec Bohm on third to nail Hamilton.
Just Terrific
Realmuto’s three-run homer in the fifth gave the Phils a 5-4 lead. It was his eighth of the season. He has 20 RBIs.
Bullpen
The Phillies’ much-maligned bullpen – it went with an ERA of 10.13, worst in the major – did the job most of the night. Lefty Adam Morgan got one of the biggest outs of the game when he retired dangerously Pete Alonso (53 homers last season) on a flyball to the wall in the center to string two runners and take a one-run lead protection in the top of the sixth.
Morgan came out with one and inherited a runner in second place. He pulled out the second and then ran left-handed Conforto to set up a potentially uncomfortable duel with Alonso and his right-hand man. Morgan’s fastball has not missed a zip so far this season. He muscled up and threw a fastball on the first field, 93 mph, and Alonso hit it well, but not well enough.
Tommy Hunter got five big outs late in the game. He started an enormous double play in the seventh by hitting a Wilson Ramos smash with his bare hand.
Jose Alvarez and Blake Parker both threw a scoreless inning.
Neris left a hit and a walk to open the ninth and Robinson Cano tied the game at 5-5 with a two-out hit at the top of the ninth.
Although that run hurt, the Phils Bulls were able to run 5⅔ innings from one ball.
Bohm contributes
Rookie third baseman Bohm finished home the Phillies’ first run. It was his first big-league RBI. He also made a nice running grip from a foul ball down the left field line to help Morgan maintain a one-run lead in the sixth.
With Bohm third, Jean Segura moved to second base and Scott Kingery to an incredible. Kingery talked about the battle that cost him his starting job, and some hurtful injury problems, before the game.
Next
Aaron Nola (1-1, 2.79) defeated Mets lefty Steven Matz at 6:05 a.m. Saturday night.
Nola has allowed two runs over 14 innings in his last two starts against the Yankees and Braves, respectively. He picked up 22 attacks and ran just one over that span.
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