Mets Game 130: Win Over Phillies

Mets 3 Phillies 2

The Mets beat the Phillies for the second straight night, locking the two teams in a tie for third place in the NL East and seventh in the Wild Card.

Mets Game Notes

Matt Harvey gave the Mets another good performance, both on the mound and at bat. Harvey allowed two runs on six hits and two walks in 6 1/3, striking out six. I have to admit I gasped when he was pulled from the game with one out in the seventh and 98 pitches thrown; my gut screamed “leave him in! don’t let the bullpen blow this one!”

Perhaps as impressive was the fact that Harvey drove in one of the three runs scored by the Mets; he’s now hitting .462 with an OPS well over 1.000. In all seriousness, why not let him pinch-hit once in a while? He doesn’t look like a pitcher in the batter’s box.

The other two runs came via one swing of Lucas Duda‘s bat. Duda whacked a two-run homer in the third, giving the Mets a lead they never lost.

On the one hand, you can believe that Duda’s demotion to AAA was the best thing for him. On the other hand, you can believe that keeping Ike Davis up in the bigs throughout his horrendous slump was the best thing for him. Are both right? Neither right? Is it all PR spin?

Not hurting the Mets was the fact that Cole Hamels was a late scratch due to a bellyache. Also of note: a day after chasing Vance Worley from the mound after only four innings, it was announced that Worley would be shut down for the remainder of the season and undergo elbow surgery (NOT Tommy John ligament-replacement surgery, however).

Don’t look now, but the Mets are in position to sweep the Phillies in Philadelphia – only a week after getting swept by the Rockies at home. Can you say, “Jekyll and Hyde”?

Next Mets Game

The Mets and Phillies face each other again at 1:05 p.m. on Thursday afternoon. Jonathon Niese faces Kyle Kendrick.