The New York Mets have re-entered the NL East competition. On Wednesday evening at Citi Field, the Mets finalized the three-game sweep against the Philadelphia Phillies with a 6-0 triumph, narrowing the division gap to just four games. This victory also secured the season series and, consequently, the tiebreaker advantage for the Mets, effectively reducing that four-game margin to a more manageable three-game difference.
Rookie right-hander Nolan McLean, making his third appearance as a starter in MLB, showcased dominance against the Phillies, allowing only four singles across eight scoreless innings. He achieved six strikeouts, issued no walks, and maintained efficiency with a pitch count of only 93. McLean boasts an impressive 0.89 ERA through his initial three starts in the major leagues. The Mets are anticipated to introduce another highly regarded prospect, Jonah Tong, during their upcoming home series against the Miami Marlins on Friday.
The Mets initiated an offensive surge against former Met Taijuan Walker during the third inning. They commenced the inning with a sequence of five consecutive hits, which included two hits on the very first pitch, resulting in three runs and establishing control of the game. The leading five hitters in their batting order (Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, Mark Vientos) collectively achieved a 9-for-19 performance, driving in 6 runs.
Wednesday’s defeat marked the Phillies’ 10th consecutive loss at Citi Field, a streak that extends back to the previous season and encompasses postseason play.
Philadelphia had maintained exclusive hold of the first-place position since August 2 and possessed a seven-game advantage entering this three-game series against the Mets. They recently faced the setback of losing their star pitcher, Zack Wheeler, to season-ending thoracic outlet surgery, which means that despite maintaining what is effectively a three-game lead in the division, the Phillies are encountering some challenges currently.
These two teams will soon have another opportunity to face each other. They are scheduled to play a four-game series at Citizens Bank Park in two weeks, from September 8-11. The Phillies hold a 5-2 record against the Mets at home dating back to last year, which represents a considerable improvement compared to their current 10-game losing streak in Queens.
Wednesday’s triumph improved the Mets’ record to 72-61. They now hold a four-game lead over the Cincinnati Reds in the race for the third wild card position. The Phillies currently stand at 76-57 and possess the National League’s second-best record, trailing only the 83-50 Milwaukee Brewers.
