Final Score: Phillies 5, Mets 2
With the Miami Marlins and Chicago Cubs both winning earlier this afternoon, the Philadelphia Phillies weren’t able to clinch a second consecutive playoff berth with their win against the New York Mets this evening.
They did, however, lower their magic number to secure a postseason berth to one. The club’s magic number to clinch the top Wild Card spot in the NL also went down as it now sits at two.
Behind a strong start from Cristopher Sánchez and a four-run fourth inning by the offense, Philadelphia secured a four-game sweep of the Mets to secure their 87th win of the year, tying their win total from a year ago.
Sánchez looked really good, pitching seven, two-run innings. He tied a season- and career-high with 10 strikeouts, while walking just one hitter. He started the game with 12 straight outs and 4 2/3 no-hit innings.
Sánchez finished his night throwing nearly as many changeups (40) as sinkers (45) with a total of 20 swings-and-misses, 16 of which came against his changeup.
The lefty was matched by his counterpart, Mets right-hander José Butto, for the first three innings. Philadelphia’s lineup got to Butto in the fourth, though.
After having just one hit through three, the Phillies recorded three hits in the fourth inning alone. One was a two-run single by J.T. Realmuto, setup by a Bryce Harper walk and Bryson Stott single. Harper advanced to third on Stott’s hit and then Stott stole second with Realmuto at the dish.
The Phillies catcher then poked a weak liner out to left field, scoring both base runners.
One batter later, Nick Castellanos homered to extend the Phillies’ lead to four.
Castellanos came into tonight riding a hot streak over his last 15 games that started back on Sept. 9 when he was moved down in the lineup after struggling for most of the second half. In those 15 games, the right-handed slugger hit .339/.377/.750 with six home runs. His homer tonight was his seventh in his last 12 games overall and 29th of the season.
Harper added another run to the board an inning later with a single, scoring Trea Turner from second after he doubled.
New York got two back in the sixth for their only runs off Sánchez via a two-run homer by second baseman Ronny Mauricio.
Following Sánchez was 22-year-old right-hander Orion Kerkering, making his Major League debut. The 2022 fifth-round pick worked a 1-2-3 eighth inning with two strikeouts. He featured a fastball that reached 100 mph and a slider that he threw 10 times, picking up both of his punch outs with that pitch.
Michael Lorenzen, who has struggled mightily of late, pitched a clean ninth inning, earning the save.
Ticket IQ Next Game
- Tuesday, September 26 vs. Pittsburgh Pirates at Citizens Bank Park
- 6:40 p.m. ET
- TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia
- Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
- Spanish Radio: WTTM 1680
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