PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Phillies faced a tough setback on Saturday as they lost 6-2 to the New York Mets in Game 1 of the National League Division Series. Despite a stellar seven-inning performance from pitcher Zack Wheeler, the team’s bullpen faltered in the critical eighth inning, allowing the Mets to score five runs.
The sellout crowd of 45,751 at Citizens Bank Park watched in disbelief as the Phillies experienced their third consecutive postseason defeat. “It’s a tough loss,” Wheeler said after the game. “Any loss in the playoffs is tough, but we gotta come back out here tomorrow and try to win the game. We’ve got the guys in the room to do it.”
Game 2 of the best-of-five series is scheduled for 4 p.m. Sunday, with Cristopher Sanchez taking the mound for the Phillies and Luke Severino for the Mets.
Wheeler had an impressive outing, allowing only one hit, walking four, hitting a batter, and striking out nine during his seven innings while throwing 111 pitches. He tied the Phillies postseason record for strikeouts with 77, previously held by Cole Hamels. “Wheeler was unbelievable,” said Phillies manager Rob Thomson. “That was as good as it gets.”
However, the Phillies bullpen was unable to continue the momentum. In the eighth inning, Jeff Hoffman entered but quickly lost control. He allowed a single to Francisco Alvarez, walked Francisco Lindor, and gave up an RBI single to Mark Vientos, which brought the Mets level at 1-1. Matt Strahm replaced him but also struggled, allowing an RBI single to Brandon Nimmo that put New York ahead 2-1, followed by a sacrifice fly from Pete Alonso that made it 3-1. Orion Kerkering couldn’t stop the bleeding either, as J.D. Martinez and Starling Marte drove in two more runs, pushing the Mets’ lead to 5-1.
“It was stunning to see Hoffy and Strahm give it up like that,” Thomson stated. “But that’s baseball sometimes.” He also noted that having not played since the previous Sunday might have affected his pitchers, while the Mets had played several games during that time.
In terms of hitting, the Phillies struggled to find their rhythm throughout the game. They only managed to break through in the eighth inning when Bryce Harper doubled and Nick Castellanos singled, but it wasn’t enough to score. Kody Clemens did manage to drive in a run in the ninth, but it provided little solace in the face of their overall performance.
Kyle Schwarber set the tone early with a leadoff home run in the first inning, putting the Phillies up 1-0. Wheeler, meanwhile, was strong in the early innings, striking out two of the three batters he faced in the first.
Wheeler is no stranger to postseason pressure with a 2.42 ERA in his last 11 postseason appearances. Despite the loss, his individual performance was noteworthy, showcasing his potential and competitive spirit, especially in October.
In roster news, pitcher Taijuan Walker was notably left off the Phillies’ NLDS roster due to a disappointing season, where he posted a 7.10 ERA. The final roster includes 12 pitchers and a combination of catchers, infielders, and outfielders.
Looking ahead, Harper highlighted the benefit of the break leading into the series: “I think a lot of us really needed that week to kinda recover a little bit and get going.”
Thomson’s lineup was shaped by a focus on defense, which he believed was crucial for the afternoon game with potential shadowing issues at the stadium.
The Phillies will look to rebound in Game 2 with the aim of leveling the series against their rivals.