PHILADELPHIA — Blanked for seven innings by Philadelphia starter Zack Wheeler, the New York Mets erupted for six runs against the Phillies’ bullpen in the final two innings Saturday to earn a 6-2 victory in Game 1 of a National League Division Series.
Brandon Nimmo’s RBI single off Matt Strahm snapped a 1-1 tie in the eighth after Mark Vientos delivered the tying run with a run-scoring single of his own. Pete Alonso, J.D. Martinez and Starling Marte also drove in runs in the inning for the Mets, who came from behind in the late innings for the third time in six days.
Nimmo, who went 2-for-4 in the game, delivered another run with a single in the ninth off Tanner Banks.
Kyle Schwarber hit a leadoff homer in the bottom of the first for the Phillies. Schwarber went 2-for-5, but the Phillies managed only three other hits against five Mets pitchers. The last was a pinch-hit RBI double by Kody Clemens in the ninth.
Wheeler allowed a single hit over seven innings before giving way to Jeff Hoffman to start the eighth. Francisco Alvarez opened the inning with a single and Francisco Lindor then walked after falling behind in the count 0-2.
Vientos then lined Hoffman’s 1-2 slider into left field to score pinch runner Harrison Bader. Strahm relieved Hoffman, but Nimmo’s single on an 0-2 pitch brought Lindor home. Alonso’s sacrifice fly, also on an 0-2 pitch, made it 3-1. — Reuters
