Tempers flared like the rivalry of old and Michael Cuddyer was the hero du jour as the Mets came from behind to beat the Philadelphia Phillies, their fifth straight victory.

Noah Syndergaard started, looking for his first major league road win. The game’s first two hitters staked him to an early 2-0 lead. Curtis Granderson reached on an error by the Phillies’ massive mainstay Ryan Howard. Yoenis Cespedes followed that up with a 2-run bomb and at first it appeared the cannonading of Philadelphia would continue for another night. When the Mets added another run on a two out single by Travis d’Arnaud and a long double by Syndergaard, it looked like it would be smooth sailing at 3-0.

Not so fast…

For his part, Syndergaard skated through the first two innings, but ran into some big trouble in the third. Carlos Ruiz led off with a ground rule double and after strikeouts by pitcher Jerome Williams and second baseman Cesar Hernandez, Freddy Galvis launched a homer of his own to tie the game. Odubel Herrera then reached on an error by Mets’ second sacker Kelly Johnson and Howard launched one of his patented shots over the wall and the Phils led it, 4-3.

With two outs in the top of the sixth, though, that ol’ Met magic we’re all starting to get used to struck again. Daniel Murphy led off the inning with a walk and David Wright followed with a strikeout. Johnson then dribbled a base hit through second. That was all for Williams, who was replaced by Jeanmar Gomez. Wilmer Flores hit a hard liner right at the shortstop, but Michael Conforto worked out a walk to load the bases and Travis d’Arnaud also took a free pass to tie the game. Cuddyer came on to pinch hit for Syndergaard and looped a base hit into shallow center, chasing home Johnson and Conforto and suddenly the Mets had a two-run lead.

The real excitement, though, came in the bottom of the seventh, when relief pitcher Hansel Robles tried to “quick-pitch” Phillies’ pinch hitter Darren Ruf. Robles delivered to the plate before Ruf was alert — a very dangerous tactic. The Phillies’ bench erupted and spilled out onto the field, with bench coach and noted hothead Larry Bowa thrown out of the game. In any case, Robles pitched a stellar sixth and seventh — striking out Ruf for that inning’s final out. Tyler Clippard came on in the eighth and struggled. He gave up a long fly to Howard — expertly run down by Cespedes — then a base hit by Andres Blanco and a walk to Cody Asche. He got Domonic Brown to strike out, but manager Terry Collins had seen enough, wagging his finger to the bullpen to summon Jeurys Familia for the four-out save. Familia was up to the task this night and the Mets came away with yet another win.

With the Washington Nationals also victorious tonight, another precious page is torn off the calendar and the Mets are now that much closer to paydirt.

15 comments on “Gut Reaction: Mets 6 Phillies 5 (8/25/15)

  • Brian Joura

    Since the umpire/rain fiasco game, Familia has 13 IP, 0 ER, 2 BB and 14 Ks. He looked nasty tonight.

  • TexasGusCC

    From MLB Network, Harold Reynolds chastised Robles, but Al Leiter defended him. Leiter said look, ‘Ruf’s in the box and there is no time called. Who told him to look down?’ Reynolds and Leiter argued that a bit with neither backing down.

    Then as they showed the Cubs highlights, Reynolds said that they are playing out of their minds right now and they will slow down.

    It was a shame Clippard got pulled but for all the rope Collins gives hitters, he treats pitchers like a baby treats a diaper. If it works, though… Didn’t understand however, how Collins brings in his best pitcher but doesn’t make the necessary changes to put in his best defense from the eighth inning, but at least the ninth…

    • Chris F

      Reynolds is a Mets hater, and he’s a dope. He also is raking Flores over the coals about crying….still. There are a few in the MLB media family including Mike Ferrin, who covers the Nats/Os and Jim Memolo, a life long Skankees fan. Fortunately there are more rational voices there too, namely Casey Stern, and also Todd Hollandsworth and Jim Bowden on the radio and Pedro on TV. Interestingly enough, neither Jim Duquette nor Steve Phillips are too positive, but that makes sense.

    • Name

      Is Oh no seriously on that list?

      What a freaking joke.

      Edit:
      I just voted and saw that 364 trolls actually voted for it!

      • TexasGusCC

        Clowns.

  • TexasGusCC

    Just saw this and had to share:

    {Apparently, there’s guys in the Mets clubhouse that are pissed that Murphy got threatened to get hit in the ribs.}

    I don’t know if Bowa said that, but their manager pointed out that Bowa was overly upset about nothing during his post game talk. This makes tomorrow’s game problematic. I wouldn’t sit Murphy, but Colon shouldn’t need to be told what to do.

    • TexasGusCC

      I know I have posted alot tonight, but for those that have MLB.tv, go to the Phillies feed and the 2:42:27 mark; that is when the quick pitch takes place. Later, after Bowa gets ejected and has gathered his books and is leaving, he stops right before the tunnel and points to Murphy. “Hey you! Tomorrow you’re going to wear one right here,” and puts his right fist to portray a baseball over his own ribs. He yells a few f-Bombs at Murphy and leaves. As we are all watching the Mets feed, this wasn’t covered. However, the Phillies feed covered it completely and was very critical of Bowa.

      It was quite an enjoyable experience to listen to the middle few innings of the game with the Phillies announcers as they are professional all the way, very honest with almost no emotion, and speak very little during the broadcast compared to any other announcing team that I have ever heard. I found myself being more engrossed in the game this way. Still love our boys, but have a respect for those guys.

      • James Preller

        Good info, thanks.

      • Chris F

        Look, Robles was dumb for that pitch. Even TdA was attempting to stop him from throwing. I get why the Phillies were mad. But Bowa went coo-coo for co-co puffs. In Mackanin’s post game presser, he shrugged off Bowa a bit dismissively. I think it ends there. Yes, Bowa was clearly giving Murph an earful, apparently in response to his enjoying his HR the other night a bit much with an over the top bat flip.

        • TexasGusCC

          Chris, I went back to the homerun. I didn’t see anything to get bent out of shape over. He swung, stopped at the plate for a second to admire it and then just dropped the bat that he was still holding shoulder high and ran around the bases. He didn’t do much. What the difference when Howard hits one and stops to see where it lands before he runs?

          • Chris F

            IM not saying its real…Im just sayingthat what the twitter world post game was saying.

            Also there was comment that Bowa may get a suspension for calling for a hit on Murphy.

            We’re under their skin. I love it.

  • Steevy

    Phillies not enjoying the view from the bottom.Good.

    • Charlie Hangley

      I guess they forgot about Victorino’s antics and big mouths like Rollins & Hamels. Now they’re all butt-hurt. Boo freakin’ hoo…

      • TexasGusCC

        ^

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