Mets Blank Phillies For Second Straight Game

The Phillies’ potent offense was nowhere to be found this weekend, as they scored a total of two runs in a three game set with the Mets. While they snuck out an extra innings victory in game one, their luck ran out on Saturday and Sunday, as the Mets shut the Phillies out in consecutive contests. 

After Aaron Nola’s brilliance in Saturday’s 1-0 loss, fans hoped that Nola’s co-ace Zack Wheeler could provide similar production. It wasn’t meant to be however, as last year’s Cy Young runner-up was strafed for six earned runs in 6.0 innings pitched. The Mets weren’t making a ton of hard contact, but they worked counts and got bloops to fall in, tallying nine hits and a walk off of Wheeler. Adding to the Phillies’ woes, rebounding reliever Corey Knebel exited the game with a lat strain after facing only two batters in the seventh. 

Wheeler just wasn’t himself on Sunday, and neither were the Phils hitters, as the Mets blanked them for the second game in a row. To make matters worse, they squandered opportunities in both the fourth and fifth innings when they had runners in scoring position and no outs, but came away empty. Other than Nick Castellanos’ two hits, no Phillies hitter looked locked in, as Chris Bassitt and the Mets bullpen racked up 11 strikeouts. 

It’s a disappointing three-game set that started out with a ton of hope. After Sunday’s loss, the Phillies are now 11.5 games back of the Mets in the NL East, and are clinging to the third wildcard spot by a 1.5 game margin over the listless Milwaukee Brewers. The Phils will look to get back on track in Cincinnati on Monday, when Noah Syndergaard takes on Mike Minor.