The New York Mets blew a four-run lead and dropped their sixth straight game on Thursday night, falling 6-4 to the Philadelphia Phillies, who completed a four-game sweep at Citizens Bank Park.
New York jumped ahead quickly in the first inning as Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto set the table with singles and a double steal. Mark Vientos, Brandon Nimmo and Starling Marte each drove in runs, with Marte narrowly missing a home run off the left-field wall. But that surge was all the Mets could muster. Phillies starter Jesús Luzardo regrouped to retire 22 consecutive batters and finished eight innings with 10 strikeouts, becoming the first Philadelphia pitcher since 1977 to allow four first-inning runs and still work that deep into a game.
Starter David Peterson kept the Mets in front through five innings despite allowing a two-run homer to Otto Kemp and an RBI double to Bryce Harper.
The bullpen couldn’t hold it: Reed Garrett surrendered back-to-back doubles to tie the game in the sixth, then Harrison Bader’s single pushed the Phillies ahead. Brooks Raley entered but walked Kyle Schwarber before Harper’s single capped the three-run frame.
The Mets went quietly in the ninth, with Soto, Pete Alonso and Vientos striking out against closer Jhoan Duran to seal the defeat.
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New York (76-71) returns home on Friday to open a three-game series with the Texas Rangers at 7:10 p.m. Rookie Jonah Tong will face former Mets ace Jacob deGrom in the opener.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].