In the final game before the All-Star break, the Mets fell short in the rubber game of their three-game series against the Phillies.

The team was no-hit for the first 5.1 innings, before Pete Alonso hit his historic 30th home run of the season.

Zack Wheeler struggled early, but settled in nicely before a home run by old friend Jay Bruce knocked him out of the game. Bruce would homer again off Wilmer Font in the eighth inning, and Rhys Hoskins put the icing on the cake in the ninth to put the Phillies up 8-2.

Despite an Adeiny Hechavarria home run, the Mets could never mount any kind of comeback, finishing the first half with a record of 40-50 and leaving them well down in fourth place in the National League East.

Pitching

The Phillies hit Wheeler hard in the first inning, hitting several line drives while batting around and scoring four runs. Wheeler’s fastball was sitting a tick lower than it has been most of this year.

Wheeler gave up a couple of hard-hit balls in the second, but Bryce Harper helped them out by running into an out at second trying to extend a single into a double. With Jean Segura on third and two outs, Wheeler induced a groundout from Hoskins to escape with no damage.

Wheeler continued to settle down, retiring the side in order in an easy 12-pitch third inning.

He looked even better in the fourth, striking out the side in order. That brought Wheeler’s total to six strikeouts through four innings.

Wheeler continued to dominate with a perfect fifth, retiring 10 Phillies in a row. However, his pitch count was at 93 through just five innings.

Regardless, Mickey Callaway let Wheeler go back out for the sixth, and he walked the first hitter as he reached 100 pitches.

After Wheeler had a quick chat with pitching coach Phil Regan, former Met Bruce unloaded a two-run homer, ending his afternoon. He ended up allowing six runs in five-plus innings.

Jeurys Familia came on in relief, allowing an infield single that Amed Rosario fumbled before inducing a double play. He struck out the pitcher Nola on a full count to end the frame.

Font pitched the seventh, working around a single and a potentially intentional hit by pitch of Hoskins.

Font came back out for the eighth, and was immediately greeted by Bruce’s second home run of the game. After giving up a single to Cesar Hernandez, he settled down to retire the next three, the last two via strikeout.

After throwing inside to Hoskins, Font left one in the middle of the plate that Hoskins crushed to left for another home run, making the score 8-2.

Offense

The Mets hitters started off slowly against the hot Nola, going down in order in the first.

Todd Frazier and Wilson Ramos both drew walks against Nola in the second, but the team didn’t record any hits and Juan Lagares was called out on a controversial check-swing call, as the Mets left two runners on.

The Mets continued to make outs against Nola, going down in order in the next three innings.

With one out in the sixth, Jeff McNeil reached on an error by Hoskins, then Alonso laced an opposite-field two-run homer. In addition to being the Mets’ first hit of the game, it was his 30th home run of the year, as he became just the second Met ever to hit 30 home runs before the All-Star break.

Robinson Cano followed that up with a single and advanced to second on a Frazier groundout, but Dominic Smith grounded out to leave him stranded.

Rosario hit a one-out single in the seventh, and a Michael Conforto pinch-hit walk chased Nola from the game. However, with two on and two out, McNeil flew out to Harper to end the threat.

The Mets went down in order in the eighth. They got a pinch-hit solo home run from Hechavarria and a double from Rosario in the ninth, but they could not dig themselves out of the hole as they floundered, 8-3.

On Deck

The All-Star break begins tomorrow, with Alonso participating in the Home Run Derby. The All-Star game will be played on Tuesday, with Alonso, McNeil, and Jacob deGrom representing the Mets.

The Mets will return to action on Friday at 7:10 in Miami for a three-game set against the Marlins. Jason Vargas (3-4, 3.77 ERA) will take the mound coming off a loss against the Yankees last Wednesday. Miami’s starter is yet to be announced.