NY Swept in Mets-Phillies Series
The Mets were attempting to salvage the final game of the Mets-Phillies weekend series in Citi Field on Sunday. They failed to do so. And you can of course blame the bullpen for that. Oh, and kind of John Buck.
The Mets jumped out to the early lead; Ruben Tejada led off the bottom of the first with a double, advanced to third on a ground out and scored when David Wright singled. In the top of the inning, Wright was charged with an error on a ground ball — his first error in 77 games dating back to last August.
Jonathon Niese kept the Phillies off the board until the fifth, when Freddy Galvis led off with a solo home run to tie the game at one.
Niese was cruising along until two outs in the seventh. Pinch hitter Laynce Nix hit a foul pop that bounced off of Buck’s glove. He was charged with an error, although it was a reasonably difficult play that could have easily been ruled no play. Given a second chance, Nix singled. Jimmy Rollins also singled and that was all for Niese. Scott Atchison came on, and with a righthander on the mound, Charlie Manuel sent Ryan Howard up to pinch hit. Howard responded with a double to deep center to score two to give the Phillies a 3-1 lead. Chase Utley singled to score Howard to make it 4-1.
The first two runs were charged to Niese, but they were unearned because of Buck’s error. So his final tally was 6.2 innings pitched, three runs (one earned) on five hits, with three strikeouts and one walk.
Cole Hamels did not have his best stuff — he walked six Mets. But he also struck out eight and allowed just two hits over his six innings of work.
Brandon Lyon pitched the eighth, allowing a run on a Domonic Brown single and a double to John Mayberry, Jr. to make it a 5-1 game.
That was the final score. Philly sweeps the Mets-Phillies series.