Phils take advantage of late error to edge Mets

April 19th, 2017

NEW YORK -- Given a second life, the Phillies took full advantage Tuesday at Citi Field, turning a late error into a 6-2, 10-inning win over the Mets.
Two innings after a Reyes dropped popup allowed to hit a game-tying ground-rule double, put the Phillies ahead for good on a sacrifice fly off in the 10th. That gave Philadelphia its first win in four games this season against a Mets club that had won 29 of 41 since the start of 2015.

"It was really good to beat these guys," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "We had to change the trend a little bit. Hopefully it gave us some confidence playing them from here on out. You hold a team like that to two runs and you've done a good job."

Dialing his fastball up to 97 mph, Mets starter Zack Wheeler held the Phillies in check through five innings, allowing his only run on an home run in the first. He left with a lead thanks to the Mets' first-inning rally off Zach Eflin, Philadelphia's rotation replacement for More >
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But the Phillies tied things up on an unearned run in the eighth, leaning heavily on their bullpen to give them a chance. A quintet of relievers -- including , who earned the win -- combined with Eflin to hold the Mets scoreless over the game's final nine innings.

"I need to be more efficient," Wheeler said. "I need to get us a little bit deeper into games, especially with what our bullpen's been through lately."
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MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Extra out: With two outs and a man on first base in the eighth inning, Reyes dropped a routine popup down the third-base line, giving Philadelphia runners on the corners in an inning that should have been over. The next batter, Blanco, hit a pinch-hit, RBI ground-rule double over ' head, plating the tying run. Initially, two runs scored on the play, but a replay review revealed that the ball bounced over the orange home-run line, forcing to retreat to third base.

"That was my ball," Reyes said. "I have to catch that fly ball in that situation." More >
Early lead: Again assigned to the leadoff spot, sparked another early rally, walking and scoring on a RBI single in the first. Moments later, the Mets took their first lead when Cespedes came home on an Eflin wild pitch. They kept that one-run advantage intact until the eighth.

QUOTABLE
"When I get out of this slump, I'm going to get out of this slump for good." -- Reyes, who is 5-for-50 to open the season
"That's my fault right there." -- Galvis, who only reached first base on Reyes' error
Had he reached second he would have scored on Blanco's ground-rule double to give the Phillies a 3-2 lead. Instead, the game was left tied.
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
's third-inning lineout, a shot directly to Cespedes in left field, came off his bat at 113 mph. It was Franco's hardest-hit out since the start of the 2015 season, and his third-hardest-hit ball overall in that time.
WHAT'S NEXT
Phillies: Phillies right-hander Vince Velasquez (0-2, 9.00 ERA) makes his third start of the season Wednesday night against the Mets at Citi Field. He is hoping to pitch more than five innings for the first time. He racked up 94 pitches in four innings in his first start, and 100 pitches in five innings in his second start.
Mets: (0-1, 9.28 ERA) looks to shake off his early-season struggles when the Mets and Phillies reconnect for a 7:10 p.m. ET game on Wednesday. Gsellman gave up eight runs last time out in Miami, though four of those came on a grand slam following a defensive misplay behind him.
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