Mets Lose To Phillies 4- 2 After Offense Struggles Against Zack Wheeler

Mets RHP Marcus Stroman (Photo Credits to Jim McIsaac) The New York Mets lost to the Philadelphia Phillies 4-2 this afternoon at Citi Field to split their four-game series and dropped their record to 40-33. RHP Marcus Stroman had a scoreless top of the first inning helped out by two stellar defensive plays by RF Michael Conforto and CF Kevin Pillar, but ran into trouble in the top of the second. Stroman gave up a walk and single with one out and then Phillies RHP Zack Wheeler hit a sacrifice bunt that was dropped by 2B Jeff McNeil which loaded the bases. Stroman gave up three more runs in the top of the third after LF Andrew McCutchen led off a single and then walked 1B Rhys Hoskins. Stroman then retired RF Travis Jankowski after he hit a succesful sacrifice bunt, but then gave up a RBI single to 3B Alec Bohm. Stroman then gave up a RBI double to Nick Maton and then allowed another run after SS Ronald Torreyes reached base after 3B Luis Guillorme made a throwing error and was taken out after the inning. His final line was 3 innings, 4 runs, 2 earned runs, 3 walks and 3 stikeouts. RHP Corey Oswalt followed with four scorless innings and four strikeouts. RHP Drew Smith threw two scoreless innings in the top of the eighth and ninth innings. In the bottom of the first inning, SS Francisco Lindor hit a ground-rule double and 1B Pete Alonso singled, but RF Michael Conforto lined out to Bohm and catcher James McCann grounded out to end the inning. The bats went quiet for the next few innings against Wheeler, but threatened in the botom of the fifth and LF Billy McKinney led off with a single and CF Kevin Pillar walked but Guillorme lined out and then Oswalt hit a sacirifice bunt to move the runners over for the second out. 2B Jeff McNeil then lined out to end the inning. In the bottom of the seventh, pinch-hitter Dom Smith lined out with two outs to end the inning against Wheeeler and it was the last batter Wheeler faced all afternoon. In the bottom of the eighth, Lindor doubled with one out against reliever LHP Jose Alvarado and Alonso followed with a RBI single, but then Conforto and McCann struck out to end the inning. Pillar hit a solo homer with one out in the bottom of the ninth against RHP Archie Bradley, but then Guillorme was retired and pinch-hitter Patrick Mazieka struck out to end the game. The Mets next game is tomorrow night at Washington Nationals in a make-up game at 7:05 p.m.