Mets Rally To Beat Phillies 2-1 In Extra Innings And Spoil Aaron Nola's Outing

Mets LF Dom Smith (Photo Credits to MetsMerizedOnline.com) The New York beat the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 this afternoon at Citi Field in eight innings in the first game of a doubleheader and improved their record to 39-31. RHP Tijuan Walker cruised through the first four innings and retired the first two hitters he faced in the top of the fifth, but then walked 2B Nick Maton with two outs and then gave up a RBI double to Phillies starter RHP Aaron Nola. Walker was taken out after the inning. His final line was 5 innings, three hits, one run, one walk and five strikeouts. He lowered his ERA to 2.38. RHP Miguel Castro came in next and threw a scoreless top of the sixth inning, but came back out for the seventh inning and ran into trouble. Castro walked CF Travis Jankowski to lead-off the inning and then two batters later, he walked Maton and was then taken out. RHP Drew Smith had to come in and got the last two outs to end the inning. RHP Seth Lugo came on in the top of the eighth with the automatic runner on second to start the inning and struck out 1B Rhys Hoskins and then walked RF Bryce Harper intentionally, but came back to strike out catcher J.T. Realmuto and CF Andrew McCutchen to end the inning. The offense started out well in the bottom of the first inning against Phillies starter RHP Aaron Nola after 2B Jeff McNeil led off with a hit by pitch and then Francisco Lindor doubled, but then RF Michael Conforto, 1B Pete Alonso and LF Dom Smith all struck out. The bats went quiet after that for the next few innings against Nola who settled into a groove and struck out 10 hitters in a row which tied Tom Seaver's ML record. In the bottom of the fifth, CF Kevin Pillar reached on an error to lead-off the inning, but was left stranded. In the bottom of the seventh inning, 3B Luis Guillorme reached on an error by Phillies reliever LHP Jose Alvarado and then with two outs, SS Francisco Lindor came through with an RBI single. In the bottom of the eighth, LF Dom Smith delivered with a walk-off RBI single. The Mets next game is tonight against the Phillies 30 minutes after the game.