Gut Reaction: Phillies 5 Mets 2 (10/2/16)

This was a “Day After” game, the next game after the Mets’ post-season clincher. It showed. The Mets closed out their regular season with a sloppy, listless performance in Philadelphia and it doesn’t matter a damn.

Gabriel Ynoa started for the Mets and turned in a perfectly serviceable four-and-two-thirds innings of work, walking one, striking out two, surrendering five hits and one run. The run allowed was built on two solid singles and one scratchy one, with a bunt in between. For their part, the Mets’ lineup actually looked semi-respectable, with Curtis Granderson, Asdrubal Cabrera and Lucas Duda wishing to remain sharp for Wednesday’s Wild Card Game and begging their way into this hungover group. But, as would befit such a collection, they struggled to put runs on the board. It stayed 1-0 Phils until the sixth inning when the Mets would tie it up on a Matt Reynolds double and an Alejandro De Aza base knock. They would take a short-lived lead in the seventh on a single-and-steal combo by Kelly Johnson and a double over the centerfielder’s head by Kevin Plawecki. Being in a generous mood, though, they would hand it back to their Philly bros in the bottom half.

Andres Blanco stepped in against Erik Goeddel — the fourth Mets pitcher of the day — and lined a single to center. Anemic-hitting left fielder Aaron Altherr then drew a walk. Cody Asche pinch-hit for the pitcher and hit a spinning grounder that Duda cuffed about, and then threw wildly to first. The double Duda error(s) allowed the tying run to score. Next, Cesar Hernandez hit a clean single to right and Philadelphia had the lead. Josh Edgin replaced Goeddel and gave up a long fly to center by Jimmy Paredes, on which Juan Lagares made a terrific over-the-head play after a long run. Asche trotted home and the Phillies led it 4-2. Odubel Herrera finally hit a double play ball to Duda to end things. So Duda had a double error…and a double play. Quite the inning for Mr. Duda. After the Mets went meekly in the eighth, Jim Henderson came on, gave up a couple of hits and a padding run when a one-hopper back to the mound clanked off the thumb of his mitt.

So now, the Mets will gear up for Wednesday night, when they’ll host the San Francisco Giants at Citi Field, Madison Bumgarner taking on Noah Syndergaard.

See you then and Let’s go Mets!