The Mets bounced back from their disappointing series in Atlanta by thumping the Phillies, 7-2, in Philadelphia on Friday night, as Chris Bassitt gave them a strong start.
It was the 12th time they’ve beaten the Phillies in 16 games this season.
Here are the Top Takeaways from the win:
1) It was an important win for the Mets, enabling them to maintain their 3.5 game lead in the NL East as the Atlanta Braves defeated the Houston Astros on Friday night, and also because the Mets’ pitching is compromised a bit by injuries with three games to play in the next two days.
The Mets haven’t announced whether Taijuan Walker will be able to make Sunday’s start as he deals with back spasms that forced him out of Tuesday’s game in Atlanta after two innings.
As insurance they flew in Triple-A pitcher Jose Butto to Philadelphia in case Walker can’t make the start. Butto is listed by MLBpipeline.com as the Mets’ 15th-ranked prospect.
In the meantime, David Peterson and Trevor Williams will make making the starts in Saturday’s doubleheader, with Carlos Carrasco on the Injured List after injuring his side on Monday night in Atlanta.
2) Pete Alonso emerged from a power drought to hit his 30th home run of the season on a night when he also reached and surpassed the 100-RBI mark for the first time in his career.
Alonso recorded his 100th RBI in the first inning on a ground ball to third that Alec Bohm backhanded and threw into right field trying to get a force out at second. In doing so in the 120th game of the season, the fewest games any Met has ever reached 100 RBI.
Alonso then hit a two-run home run to left off Aaron Nola in the third inning, his first long ball since Aug. 4. He had gone 14 games without a home run.
With three RBIs Alonso raised his total to 102, tying Aaron Judge for the major-league lead.
3) On a weekend in which the Mets are stretched thin, pitching-wise, Bassitt gave them a much-needed strong start to open this four-game series, allowing up two runs over six innings before being forced out of the game due to his pitch count (104).
Bassitt extended his streak of innings without giving up an earned run to 28 before the Phillies got to him for two runs in the fifth inning.
It was his fourth straight strong start, during which he has given up two earned in 29 innings, an 0.62 ERA.
For the season Bassitt is 11-7 with a 3.26 ERA. His total of 141 innings is 10th highest in the National League.
4) Brett Baty continues look like he’s a good enough hitter to perhaps force the Mets’ hand and keep him in the big leagues even when Eduardo Escobar and Luis Guillorme have healed from their injuries.
The rookie had an important bases-loaded single in the seventh inning to give the Mets’ bullpen a cushion, driving in two runs that increased the lead to 7-2.
The at-bat was impressive in that Baty, ahead in the count at 2-2, fouled off two 95-mph fastballs from Andrew Bellatti and had to be fastball-conscious at that point. Yet he wasn’t fooled by an 87-mph slider down-and-in, waiting and lining it to right field for a clean single.
Baty went 1-for-3 plus a walk in the game, and is hitting .300 (3-for-10) after three games with that famous first-AB home run and four RBI.
5) The Mets scored a run by pulling off a well-executed double-steal with Francisco Lindor and Starling Marte.
With one out in the fifth inning and runners at the corners, Lindor took off from first base, getting a great jump off Aaron Nola. When J.T. Realmuto threw down to try and get Lindor, Marte bolted for the plate.
Shortstop Bryson Stott fielded Realmuto’s throw a couple of steps in front of second, anticipating the play, and might have gotten Marte with a good throw. However, his throw was low and well to the first-base side of the, pulling Realmuto out of position and giving Marte enough time to slide in safely.
The play put the Mets ahead 5-0.