Brandon Nimmo
Pitching Change: Max Lazar replaces Tanner Banks.Called strike (93.8 mph four-seam fastball)Ball (80.8 mph knuckle curve)Swinging strike (94.9 mph four-seam fastball)Ball (94.6 mph four-seam fastball)Foul (80.8 mph knuckle curve)Ball (95. mph four-seam fastball)In play, out(s) (94.5 mph four-seam fastball)
Brandon Nimmo lines out sharply to center fielder Harrison Bader.
Starling Marte
Ball (93.9 mph four-seam fastball)Called strike (88.5 mph cutter)In play, no out (87.1 mph cutter)
Starling Marte singles on a sharp line drive to left fielder Weston Wilson.
Francisco Alvarez
Batter Timeout.Ball in dirt (88.5 mph cutter)Foul (93.4 mph four-seam fastball)Swinging strike (81.5 mph knuckle curve)Foul (81.3 mph knuckle curve)Ball (94.9 mph four-seam fastball)In play, no out (81.4 mph knuckle curve)
Francisco Alvarez doubles (10) on a line drive to left fielder Weston Wilson. Starling Marte to 3rd.
OK, time to get someone else in there
Jeff McNeil
In play, run(s) (94.5 mph four-seam fastball)
Jeff McNeil singles on a line drive to right fielder Nick Castellanos. Starling Marte scores. Francisco Alvarez to 3rd.
Philadelphia Phillies 9 - New York Mets 3
Jose Siri
Ball (88.7 mph cutter)Swinging strike (94. mph four-seam fastball)Swinging strike (93.7 mph four-seam fastball)Ball (79.8 mph knuckle curve)In play, out(s) (93.1 mph four-seam fastball)
Jose Siri flies out to shortstop Edmundo Sosa.
Francisco Lindor
Called strike (81. mph knuckle curve)Ball in dirt (81.3 mph knuckle curve)Foul (93.8 mph four-seam fastball)Swinging strike (blocked) (85.5 mph cutter)
Francisco Lindor strikes out swinging.
New York Mets
Philadelphia Phillies
Had 'em all the way, Harry!
Big win, great to get the first two in the series
We can stomp them tomorrow.
Voodoo Ranger!
San Francisco and Cincinnati both won tonight, so they're 2 and 3 games back, respectively, of the Mets for the final Wild Card spot.
Giants don't have the tiebreaker with the Mets, so they're always kinda really a game worse behind than it looks.
Pinball Wizard should be Ranger's theme song.
Throwing 90-91, with shaky command, 6 IP 1H, 12K
"How do you think he does it? I Don't Know. What makes him so good?
But does he have supple wrists?
I can't put my finger on it but Bader seems to have created a different energy within the clubhouse. There has just been something different about the team since he started playing a significant role.
Dombo's Deadline deals with the Twins basically negated 2/3 of his poor offseason moves. Duran replaced Romano and has given us what we wanted from Romano and Bader slid into a platoon role with Kepler which has profited both.
Unrelated to the Twins deals, Robertson replaced Ross and has given us what we wanted from Ross.
Victorino-type energy. Also he's played for both the Yankees and the Mets, as well as the Cardinals when they were still still good. He's unfazed by a market like this or playoff expectations. And very happy to be out of Minnesota.
I thought what they wanted from Ross was more length and maybe spot starts?
The Phillies didn't know they were going to get Duran when they got Robertson, though they were likely to get someone. But he is certainly viewed - and being paid - like a possible top 4 reliever, or at least the 5th (which is about the last one you want to use in a close playoff game). It's really the Alvarado spot, even if he hasn't been that great himself. I see Robertson more as Romano's replacement and Duran as the additional higher-end arm they likely would have wanted/needed even if Romano hadn't stunk.
Some players benefit from starting vs being in a platoon or playing off the bench. I think Bader is a classic example of that. When he first came, he was being used in a platoon and he did little. When he got to start every game and got into a groove, the engine turned on. We'll see how long the groove lasts, but it is fun to watch.
