Phils' clutch HRs in 9th finish off sweep of Mets

PHILADELPHIA -- The tower of bamboo in the middle of the clubhouse is not why the Phillies swept the Mets this week in a four-game series at Citizens Bank Park, but even the most skeptical players know they cannot tempt fate.

It is why they are bringing some bamboo on the road.

The Phillies beat the Mets in dramatic fashion on Thursday afternoon, 6-3. New York scored three runs in the ninth inning against Philadelphia closer Héctor Neris to take a two-run lead, only to watch Maikel Franco hit a game-tying two-run home run and Jean Segura belt a walk-off three-run homer against closer Edwin Diaz. The Phils overcame deficits in each game against the Mets. They won the final two with walk-off hits.

“I believe in God,” Segura said, when asked if he believes in good-luck bamboo plants. “But whatever it takes for us to keep the momentum going and to keep the energy level up. If the bamboo is working, keep it in our locker room.”

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The ninth-inning heroics from Franco and Segura helped the Phillies reach the halfway point of their season at 43-38. If they replicate that record in the second half, they are unlikely to make the postseason. But the Phils believe they will be better. They get a chance to prove that beginning Friday night in Miami, where they open a nine-game road trip before the All-Star break. Philadelphia does not play at home again until July 12.

“We’re excited about the second half,” Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins said. “Obviously a little bit of up and down in the first half. We’ve played some tough teams, we’ve had some tough stretches. There’s some confidence building after that little skid.”

That little skid was a 6-16 stretch and a season-high seven-game losing streak, erasing the Phillies’ 3 1/2-game lead over the Braves in the National League East and turning it into a 6 1/2-game deficit. But a sweep over the Mets had the Phils feeling good about themselves and back within 4 1/2 games of the Braves.

“It’s fun,” Segura said. “It’s even more fun because last week we were struggling.”

Bryce Harper smashed a solo home run that bounced onto Ashburn Alley in the sixth inning to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead. Aaron Nola allowed one hit and struck out 10 in seven scoreless innings. Harper hitting home runs and Nola pitching like an NL Cy Young Award candidate seemed to be a likely recipe for success this season, but it has not happened that way.

Harper is batting .246 with 14 home runs, 55 RBIs and an .828 OPS. Nola is 6-2 with a 4.22 ERA in 17 starts.

“Not so great, kind of up and down,” Nola said about the team’s first half. “Lately, it’s been better. It’s been a little harder for me. As a team, we hit a rough spot, but I think we’re jumping back up. It’s not easy to stay at the top, so it’s always going to be a grind. Every game matters right now until the end of the year.”

An argument can be made that the Phillies have not clicked yet, if you believe in the talent in the lineup and that a healthier pitching staff will improve its performance. The Phils built a talented high-powered lineup in the offseason, but it has not produced on a consistent basis. They entered Thursday 10th in the NL in batting average (.244), eighth in on-base percentage (.323), 10th in slugging percentage (.421), ninth in OPS (.744), 10th in wRC+ (93) and eighth in expected weighted on-base average (.320).

The Phillies’ bullpen has suffered a rash of injuries, with David Robertson, Tommy Hunter, Seranthony Domínguez, Víctor AranoV&#236 and Pat Neshek still on the injured list. Most of them are expected back at some point. The rotation has been healthy, but it has underperformed. It entered the game 10th in the league in ERA (4.53), 14th in FIP (5.13) and 13th in xFIP (4.61 ERA).

If Nola can get on track, it would go a long way. A trade acquisition before July 31 would help, too.

“The one thing we’ve missed a little bit is consistency,” Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said. “I think we’re a talented club from top to bottom. I think we have arms. We have strong arms. We’ve got a lineup that’s deep. We just need to put it together more consistently.”

“My good friend Jay Bruce said water always finds its level,” Hoskins said. “I think we’re going to be where we want come crunch time in the late summer.”