Post Game: Phillies 6 Mets 3
The Mets (31–27) lost to the Phillies (34–23) by the score of 6 to 3 during 11 innings tonight in a foggy Citi Field.
For a full recap and boxscore, go here.
The Least You Should Know:
- Carlos Beltran jumped out to a 3–0 lead, but the Phillies rallied from behind, tied it in the seventh inning on a series of hits, then took the lead on a home run off Ken Takahashi from Raul Ibanez in the 11th inning.
Misc., Etc., and other Thoughts:
This was an entertaining series. No doubt. Outstanding baseball, good pitching, drama, extra innings twice, division rivals, hard play, lots of chest pumping, lots of heart, some trash talking, and guys getting taken out at second from both teams. I suspect this is what September is going to be like… again.- That said, like Gary Cohen pointed out during the game, the Mets are now 21–22 against the Phillies in the last three years, but the Mets held a lead in 16 of those games 22 losses, and they held a lead of at least two runs in 12 of those 22 losses. That hurts.
- And that’s the thing, the Phillies are just so strong late, be it late in games, or late in September. It’s intimidating, I’m sorry to say. I hope the Mets do not feel the same way, because sitting here on my sofa, once the Mets fell behind, I was thinking, ‘Well, even if the Mets tie this, the Phillies are still capable of coming back again… and again… and again.’ They remind me of the Black Knight from Monty Python, and I don’t like it.
- Carlos Beltran knocked in the team’s three runs, with assists from Luis Castillo and Alex Cora. The thing is, while David Wright had three hits, the men behind him were 2 for 15.
- Hat’s off to Redding, who let up six hits, but battled, and lasted in to the eighth inning before being pulled. The weaker offense, and all of the injuries, means the starting rotation is so vital, and it helps when a guy like Redding steps it up.
- Ken Takahashi? Really? I realize Jerry Manuel didn’t really have a much of a choice out there, since he already used Robert Parnell, and specifically Pedro Feliciano, but, come on, I mean, left-handed hitters entered that inning hitting .440 against Takahashi, so I’d have to think at least Brian Stokes would have been a better choice, even Fernando Nieve.
- Why is Chase Utley allowed to lean so far over the plate like that? It’s like his elbow is a strike, and I wish the Mets would treat it as such.
- Why did Manuel have the infield back in the seventh inning, with a runner on second and third and one out, conceding the tying run, which eventually scored? I don’t understand this?
- By the way, it sounded like the Phillies were laughing in the dugout when they took the lead on Raul Ibanez’s home run. I could be wrong, but I don’t think I am. Even my wife said, ‘Jerks.’
- Yes, I said on air tonight that the Mets should focus on acquiring a pitcher. However, I think I was wrong. I’d hate to think I’m so simple to change my mind from one game, but tonight has me worried. I mean, what happens when David Wright goes in to his next inevitable funk, and what if that coincides with Carlos Beltran not driving in three runs and hitting .342? Then what? If there is a chance Jose Reyes and Carlos Delgado will not be back for quite a while, then Omar Minaya must acquire a legitimate, reliable bat to help out Beltran and Wright and pick up some slack. I respect Jeremy Reed, and believe in Omir Santos, but when playing the Phillies, in the 11th inning, it’s going to be tough to rally and pick up runs when Reed, Santos and Luis Castillo are kicking it off. This is not to say Minaya must have an All-Star at every position, but he needs more than just Wright and Beltran and a 40–year-old, past-his-prime DH hitting clean up.
- I agree with Manuel, in that this team’s goal should be to keep above .500, and stay afloat, and then look to rattle off some winning streaks when the cavalry returns. I just hope the boat doesn’t spring a leak before that.
The Mets begin a three-game series with the Yankees in the Bronx tomorrow night, with Livan Hernandez taking on Joba Chamberlain.
