NEW YORK – The Mets were running a bullpen game on Sunday afternoon at Citi Field and it fell short in a 5-4 loss to the Phillies.
Kodai Senga, who was demoted to the bullpen after allowing 32 runs (31 earned) in 27 2/3 innings, entered the game in the fifth inning and held Philadelphia scoreless for two innings.
Then came the seventh inning, and it was deflating for New York.
New York was up, 4-3, but Senga started having problems on the mound. After Justin Crawford led off with a single and Trea Turner popped up to catcher Luis Torrens, Kyle Schwarber swung at a 1-2 pitch and hit the ball over the right-center-field wall to give the Phillies a one-run lead.
Senga ended up throwing five innings and allowing the two runs on four hits and one walk. It was his longest outing since April 5 against the Giants.
New York’s offense was stagnant against Phillies starter Jesús Luzardo, who allowed one run in five innings. But the key was that New York made him throw 96 pitches, and the Mets took advantage of the Phillies’ bullpen.
With the Phillies up, 3-1, and right-hander Chase Shugart on the mound, A.J. Ewing came in as a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the sixth and hit a two-run homer to tie the score at 3. By the time Carson Benge came to the plate, Kyle Backhus was on the mound. Benge hit into a fielder’s choice that allowed Brett Baty to score the go-ahead run.
But it was Schwarber who burst New York’s bubble when it counted.