Jean Segura’s monster five RBI day was capped off by the go-ahead, game-winning two-run home run in the 10th inning off Miguel Castro to lift the Philadelphia Phillies (20-17) to a 9-8 victory over the New York Mets (19-23) on Monday afternoon.
It spoiled the Mets’ comeback, which saw them trail 6-0 in the fifth inning against their old counterpart in Zack Wheeler to temporarily take the lead in the seventh behind Jeff McNeil’s second home run in as many days, but New York’s troublesome bullpen continued to blow chances to get back into the playoff race.
Jeurys Familia immediately blew the Mets’ temporary 7-6 lead in the top of the eighth thanks to an Alec Bohm RBI single to set up extra innings, leading to a four-game series split with the Phillies rather than a 3-1 series victory.
They had to play catchup almost immediately.
After making his way back into the rotation following an injury and a brief bullpen stint, David Peterson had his worst day as a pro to date, allowing five runs in just two innings of work.
He was in danger almost immediately, hitting a batter before yielding a single and a walk to load the bases in the first inning with just one out.
Segura made the 24-year-old southpaw pay for his inaccurate start, sizzling a double down the left-field line that cleared the bases.
In the second, Rhys Hoskins took Peterson deep, socking a two-run home run to put the Phillies up five and helping drive the Mets’ starter out of the game after that inning.
Against New York reliever Erasmo Ramirez, the Phillies would add another in the top of the fifth when JT Realmuto hit his 10th home run of the season, a solo shot. But it was the lone blemish of the righty’s afternoon, as he survived five innings of work fueled by some good fortune and sterling defensive play behind him.
He allowed just that one run on two hits in his first big-league action in 17 months.
Regardless, it seemed as though that would be more than enough support for the former Met, Wheeler, who was off to a blistering start with his new club in 2020.
Entering Sunday afternoon with a 4-0 record and 2.20 ERA, Wheeler breezed through the first four innings in what looked certain to be his latest gem.
But in the bottom of the fifth, the Mets got to him, socking four doubles in the frame from Andres Gimenez, Michael Conforto, JD Davis, and Dominic Smith plated three runs to halve their deficit.
Despite throwing just 83 pitches, Wheeler was pulled after a shaky sixth inning that featured two hit batters for JoJo Romero, who gave up a pair of singles to lead off the seventh to Conforto and Davis.
After striking out Smith, he coaxed Robinson Cano into a roller that could’ve ended the inning with a double play, but it was too slow. After getting the force at second, shortstop Didi Gregorius’ throw to first went awry, allowing Conforto to score to make it a two-run game.
Going to their top reliever and recent trade acquisition, David Phelps, it only got worse for the Phillies.
A walk to Pete Alonso brought the go-ahead run to the plate in McNeil, who launched the first pitch he saw into the second deck of the right-field stands to give the Mets the lead.
It was the 13th, 14th, and 15th runs allowed by the Phillies this series in 9.2 innings of work.
The Mets would make one last push in the bottom of the 10th with Brandon Nimmo poking a single the other way to bring in Andres Gimenez in and make it a one-run game with one out. But it was one run too few as Hector Neris got Conforto to pop out before Davis lined out to the warning track.
