The Philadelphia coach commented on the Phillies’ performance against the Mets in the London Series.
The Philadelphia Phillies, leaders of the National League East, kicked off their two-game London Series against the New York Mets with a 7-2 win in front of 53,882 spectators at London Stadium.
Despite going two-for-11 with runners in scoring position, the Mets initially took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. However, their starter Sean Manaea was pulled after just 3.2 innings, having allowed seven hits, including home runs to Bryce Harper and Whit Merrifield during a six-run fourth inning for the Phillies.
On a cool Saturday evening in Stratford, with the temperature at 18 degrees, Mets fan and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off star Matthew Broderick threw out the ceremonial first pitch for the “home” team. The Mets, who had just completed a three-game sweep of the Washington Nationals after a tough May, opened the scoring in the bottom of the first. Starling Marte hit a two-out double to bring in Francisco Lindor, but Phillies starter Ranger Suarez struck out Mark Vientos to end the inning, leaving two Mets stranded.
The score remained 1-0 until the top of the fourth inning when Phillies first baseman Harper, who had changed his walk-up song to the Spice Girls’ ‘Wannabe’, hit a solo homer and celebrated with a knee slide. Edmundo Sosa followed with an RBI single, Merrifield hit a three-run homer into the visitors’ bullpen, and Kyle Schwarber’s single made it 6-1.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza then brought in reliever Sean Reid-Foley, who stopped further damage, but the Mets couldn’t close the gap in their next at-bats. Catcher Luis Torrens struck out to end the inning with runners on second and third.
The Mets managed to score another run when Lindor beat the throw home on a fielder’s choice but came up empty in a two-out rally in the sixth. Orion Kerkering replaced Suarez, who struck out six over 5.2 innings.
