The New York Mets (70-80) defeated the Philadelphia Phillies (76-73) by a score of 9-4. The game was relatively close most of the night, until the Mets blew it open with a four run ninth inning. With the Braves loss tonight the Phillies gained no ground in the NL East race.

Pitching

Zack Wheeler cruised through the first four innings but ran into some trouble with his command in the fifth.

With one on and one out in the fifth Nick Williams singled to left. After Odubel Herrera was hit by a pitch ,next batter J.P. Crawford hit a bases clearing triple cutting the Mets lead to 4-3. Justin Bour was hit by a pitch and Cesar Hernandez tied the game at 4-4 with a sacrifice fly to left. Rhys Hoskins was called out for interference to end the inning.

In the sixth inning Wheeler hit Asdrubal Cabrera with a pitch. Wilson Ramos grounded into a fielder’s choice and Carlos Santana walked. Wheeler threw a wild pitch while facing Williams which advanced both runners to scoring position. Wheeler escaped the jam as he struck out Williams and got Herrera to fly out.

Wheeler came out to pitch the seventh inning and worked around a one out walk to preserve the Mets 5-4 lead. Wheeler ended his night with a seven innings, three hits, four runs, four earned runs, three walks, four strikeout stat line. He threw 96 pitches with 59 of them for strikes.

Robert Gsellman retired the first two batters in the eighth before giving up a single to Santana. G-Man retired Williams on a fly ball to the warning track in center to end the inning.

Daniel Zamora started the ninth but gave up a single to Andrew Knapp with Jose Bautista due up to bat. It was the only batter Zamora would face as Drew Smith got the call to finish out the game.

On a 3-2 pitch Smith got Joey Bats to fly out to the warning track in center for the first out. Smith induced a game-ending double play to secure the 9-4 win.

Hitting

The first two Mets reached base in the second, as Brandon Nimmo walked and Dominic Smith singled to left. Austin Jackson gave the Mets a 1-0 lead with a RBI double to left, scoring Nimmo. The next three batters were retired as Tomas Nido grounded out, Wheeler stuck out, and Amed Rosario grounded out.

Nimmo led-off the fourth inning with a double. Smith struck out swinging for the first out and Nimmo was caught stealing third with Jackson batting. Jackson struck out looking to end the inning.

In the fifth inning Nido hit a lead-off single and later advanced to third on Wheeler’s single. Rosario hit a sac fly to extend the Mets lead to 2-0. Next batter Jeff McNeil doubled to right allowing Wheeler to advance to third.

Michael Conforto drove in his 70th and 71st RBI of year with a single doubling the Mets lead to 2-0. Todd Frazier hit a bullet to left for a base hit but was thrown out at second trying to secure the hustle double. Nimmo struck out to end the inning.

With one out in the seventh, Rosario singled and stole his 19th base of the year with McNeil batting who would later fly out. Conforto doubled in Rosario breaking the tie and giving the Mets a 5-4 lead. Frazier flew out to end the inning.

Jay Bruce pinch-hit for Nido in the ninth and worked out a walk off Phillies reliever Hector Neris. Wilmer Flores, who came in the game the previous inning in a double switch, hit a check swing single on a 0-2 pitch which advanced the runner to third.

With one out and runners on the corners McNeil added an insurance run with a run scoring single extending the Mets lead to 6-4.

Conforto smacked a three-run homerun over the center field fence giving the Mets a 9-4 lead. Conforto finished the game going 3-for-5 with a career high six RBIs. He now has 22 RBIs in 16 September games.

On Deck

The Mets will send Steven Matz (5-11, 4.18 ERA) to the hill to face off against Phillies ace Aaron Nola (16-5, 2.42 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM. Game will be televised on SNY and broadcast on WOR.