8/21 Game Recap: Phillies lose to the New York Mets 10-9

Am I disappointed? Yes, of course. Am I surprised? No, of course not. You know I say it a lot after a bad game but seriously, this was a tough one. I say that because you could really feel how much these guys wanted it, after getting beat around all weekend by this team and getting embarrassed in front of two sellout crowds. You could also feel it in the ballpark, how much these fans wanted that win. Seeing their stadium get overrun with Mets fans all weekend, it sounded like the game was at Citi Field for most of the weekend. But at the end of the day they just didn't have it, these are the ones that stick with a club. I really think you're about to see this group at a new level in these next few weeks, they are mad and they want to win so badly. You can see it in how they play, how they walk, how they talk, and how they carry themselves.

Let me start this off by clarifying this loss was not the Phillies fault, how? You may ask. Well of course in some capacity it was their fault, but you have to understand they were put in a really bad spot from the beginning. After jumping out to a 4-0 1st inning lead, thanks in part to an Alec Bohm 3-run shot. Kyle Gibson would allow 4 runs over the next 3 innings, letting the Mets right back into it. But as soon as it seemed like the Phillies would mess it all up again, Alec Bohm would come right back with yet another 3-run homer to put the Phils right back up 7-4. After a Jeff McNeil double in the 5th that would put 1 on with 1 away, Andrew Bellatti would fill in for Kyle Gibson who was forced out due to a high pitch count in just the 5th inning. Andrew Belatti and Jose Alverado would get through 2 innings unscathed, But when Connor Brogdon, who boasted a 1.63 ERA before tonight's game, would allow the Mets to tie it up on a Mark Canha 3-run shot it felt like the sky was falling. Fast forward to the bottom of the 8th, all tied up at 7 a piece as Jean Segura comes up to pinch hit for Matt Vierling, and he would come through in a huge way blasting a line shot into the Left field bleachers and putting the Phils ahead 8-7. Now all the Phillies have to do is close the game out, easy right? No, never. Since Seranthony Dominguez was placed on the 15 Day IL this morning the Phillies bullpen was left depleted. So Rob Thomson would be left with the choice of bringing in either Sam Coonrod, Tyler Cyr, Nick Nelson, or David Robertson. Easy choice right? It's got to be Robertson, he's been tremendous for the Phils. Not necessarily, Robertson pitched a 6-out save against the Mets last night, but Thomson made the tough choice and brought the 37-year-old Alabama alum in to close it out. Well, that choice would prove to be a fatal one for Thomson, as Robertson would quickly allow a Mark Canha solo shot to put the Mets up 8-7 crushing the hearts of Phillies fans everywhere. Tyler Cyr would be brought in to make his MLB debut and would give up yet another homer on the first batter he faced. With Edwin Diaz coming in for the Mets in the 9th it was all but over, right? Never… JT Realmuto would drive a first pitch liner to center and Nick Castellanos would follow suit with a blooper to right. Two runners on, winning run at the plate, what can go wrong? It would take two straight warning track fly-outs to score JT, and finally, Darick Hall would go down swinging and the Mets would emerge victorious yet again.

Now that I think about it, “tough loss” doesn’t even begin to describe how this one went for the Phils. This entire series was just a real stumper for the Fightins, starting off with two straight clunkers then getting a glimmer of hope in a scrappy hard fought win last night, losing two of your top bullpen arms, and then finally losing an absolute heartbreaker this afternoon, All the while your home stadium was overrun by Mets fans. This series will be a turnaround point for the Phils. I’m not saying that because I think it’s going to happen, I’m saying it because this team needs it to happen. If they want to make the playoffs and If they’re going to turn it around they have to start tomorrow night, when the Cinncinatti Reds come to town to start a 3 game set, back at CBP. But for now good morning, good afternoon, and good night, and of course Go Phils!