Cash Cab: Asdrubal's tater lifts Mets in extras

Cash Cab: Asdrubal's tater lifts Mets in extras

October 1st, 2017

PHILADELPHIA -- Mets third baseman had a big Saturday night in the penultimate game of the 2017 season.
Cabrera ripped a three-run home run to left-center field in the 11th inning of a 7-4 victory over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. He also doubled to score a run in the seventh, going 4-for-6 with four RBIs. It was his second four-hit game of the season and the 15th of his career. The Mets are likely to pick up the $8.5 million 2018 option on Cabrera's contract.
"I haven't hit many home runs like last year, but my other numbers are still there," said Cabrera, who has followed up last year's 23-homer campaign with 14 this season. "It's not about how you start, it's how you finish."

Cabrera homered against Phillies left-hander , who had not allowed a home run since July 31. In fact, Morgan entered the game with a 0.69 ERA (two earned runs in 26 innings) in 20 appearances since then.
"Nobody's perfect," Morgan said. "It's just kind of a bad hit to happen at a bad time. I'm just going to kind of erase that and keep going."
The Phillies managed just seven hits against the Mets, including 's solo home run to left-center field against in the second inning. It was Franco's third homer in his past four games. Lugo allowed six hits and two runs over four innings. Phillies right-hander allowed five hits, three runs and six walks in 4 2/3 innings.

"I think you saw it from both sides, it was a little tougher to command the strike zone tonight," Lugo said, referencing the chilly autumn temperatures in Philadelphia. "But I was fortunate enough to not walk anybody."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Hoskins ties it: Mets reliever walked the bases loaded with one out in the seventh inning to help the Phillies tie the game. 's sacrifice fly scored pinch-hitter and ' two-out single to left scored to make it 4-4. It was Hoskins' fourth hit since Sept. 19.

Nimmo stays hot: Mets left fielder ripped a two-out triple to right-center field to score two runs in the fifth inning. The hit gave the Mets a one-run lead, and was the outfielder's first triple of his career. 

QUOTABLE
"He hit it great, with that wind blowing. There were about four balls hit on both sides that normally are home runs here. We just got lucky." -- Mets manager Terry Collins, on Cabrera's homer
"I was surprised the ball went out because Hoskins hit his ball probably harder than Cabrera did. But he got it up in the air too much and the wind got a hold of it." -- Phillies manager Pete Mackanin, on Hoskins flying out to the warning track in left-center field in the 10th. The ball left Hoskins' bat at 106 mph according to Statcast™. Hoskins' flyout had a 74 percent hit probability.
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Hoskins has at least 20 hits, 20 RBIs and 20 walks this month. He is the first Phillies rookie to do that in the same month since July 1957, when Ed Bouchee accomplished the feat. The last time any Phillies player did so was September 2010 (Ryan Howard).
ALFARO HITS HEAD, LEAVES GAME
Phillies right fielder threw out at the plate in the sixth inning. But Williams' throw carried up the line and Alfaro's head collided with Lagares' left elbow as he applied the tag. Alfaro fell to the turf, but eventually got up and left the field on his own power. He did not return, but Mackanin said Alfaro left the game only for precautionary reasons. More >

WHAT'S NEXT
Mets: will be limited to 20-25 pitches when he starts the Mets' season finale Sunday in a 3:05 p.m. ET game at Citizens Bank Park. Syndergaard, who missed nearly five months due to a strained right lat, will be followed by multiple relievers. 
Phillies: Rookie right-hander (7-10, 6.26 ERA) starts the final game of the 2017 season for the Phillies. It will be Mackanin's final game as manager.
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