Game Recap: Phillies Beat Mets Bullpen Again, 7-5

The Mets dropped their third straight game by a score of 7-5 on Tuesday night in Philadelphia. (Box Score)

Pitching

Walker Lockett started for the Mets tonight. His night started off pretty poorly because Scott Kingery launched a homer off him. He bounced back to retire the next three on ground balls, something he is known for doing.

The second inning was much smoother. He was able to work around a two-out hit by Cesar Hernandez. In the third, he retired the side in order and had a decent lead to work with as well.

In the fourth, he gave up a one-out homer to Rhys Hoskins but the again managed to retire the side quietly after that. Lockett was bending but not breaking all night and looked serviceable at times. In the fifth, he walked Jake Arrieta but again managed to give up any runs. Through the first two turns in the order, he was pretty solid and got the job done.

The sixth is when the wheels came off and the Mets lost the game (essentially). Lockett walked Harper and gave up a double to Relmuto to put runners on second and third with one-out. That was it and Wilmer Font came in for the Mets. Old friend, Jay Bruce, brought in a run to make it 5-3.

It was two-outs and still a decent cushion for the Mets but they could not close the door. Cesar Hernandez hit a RBI single to make it 5-4 and Maikel Franco hit a two-run homer to give the Phillies the lead. Then Brad Miller proceeded to hit a homer to make it 7-5. Font only got one out and departed for Robert Gsellman. Gsellman struck out Segura to end the dreadful inning.

Gsellman stayed on for the seventh and worked around a one-out walk to Rhys Hoskins. He got four outs without allowing any runs.

Chris Flexen came in for the eighth inning and worked around a Robinson Cano error to pitch a scoreless inning. He has looked quite impressive as a reliever and with the Mets have no reason not to keep getting him used to that role.

Offense

The Mets offense had a decent night but it was overshadowed by their pitching. In the first, Jeff McNeil singled and Pete Alonso followed with an infield single. Robinson Cano grounded a ball up the middle for a RBI single. Conforto followed that up with a sac-fly to make it 2-0 early on.

In the second, Amed Rosario homered to right field for his ninth of the season. Walker Lockett walked and Jeff McNeil got another hit but the Mets could not cash anything in.

In the third, Dominic Smith hit his sixth homer of the season. His OPS is still hovering 1.000.

In the sixth, Rosario singled, stole second, and then advanced to third on a throwing error. He was in position to score on Jeff McNeil’s third hit of the night.

The Mets had some chances late in the game. Ramos singled in the eighth and McNeil had a two-out double that almost tied the game.

In the ninth, Cano doubled to lead off the inning and Todd Frazier walked with one-out but the Mets had no answer for Hector Neris‘ splitter.

Meanwhile, McNeil is hitting .348/.410/.498 this season.