Mets rally to give Syndergaard first road win
PHILADELPHIA -- If the Phillie Phanatic crushing a Mets helmet to smithereens during a between-innings gag was not evidence enough, then Larry Bowa's ejection sealed it. Make no mistake: the Mets may be in first place and the Phillies in last, but there's still a rivalry coursing down Interstate 95.
That was apparent throughout the Mets' fifth straight win on Monday, a 6-5 victory at Citizens Bank Park that improved them to 10-1 against the Phillies this season. Noah Syndergaard earned his first road victory of the year, Travis d'Arnaud tied things on a bases-loaded walk and Michael Cuddyer gave the Mets the lead for good with a pinch-hit, two-run single off Jeanmar Gomez in the sixth.
Warnings were issued an inning later, when Hansel Robles attempted a quick pitch before Darin Ruf was ready at the plate. The Mets had raised eyebrows in Monday's series opener for bat flips after more than one of their franchise-record eight home runs.
Video: NYM@PHI: Bowa gets tossed as benches clear
"Tensions are high and it escalated from there," Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy said Tuesday. "We swung the bats well yesterday. We got a good win today. I know what we're concerned about in this clubhouse, and that's playing good baseball."
The Phillies struck out nine times in five innings against Syndergaard, but took an early lead on two-run homers from Freddy Galvis and Ryan Howard. Gomez gave up one run of his own and two that he inherited from starter Jerome Williams, who also allowed a two-run homer to Yoenis Cespedes and an RBI double to Syndergaard.
Video: NYM@PHI: Syndergaard smokes RBI double to right field
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Gomez out of gas? Gomez had been one of the team's better relievers this season, posting a 2.08 ERA in 56 1/3 innings over his first 48 appearances. But Gomez has struggled lately. He replaced Williams with two on and one out in the sixth. He walked the bases loaded before he walked in a run to cut the Phillies' lead to one. He then allowed a two-out single to Cuddyer to score two runs to give the Mets a 6-4 lead. Gomez has allowed nine hits and seven runs in four innings in his last four appearances.
"Lately his sinker, he hasn't been able to keep his sinker down," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "He's elevating the sinker. He had both of those guys with two strikes on them and he just couldn't put them away. The base hit to Cuddyer was a sinker but he elevated it. It was too on it."
Room service: Syndergaard's road woes popped up when Galvis and Howard each hit two-run homers in the third, though Kelly Johnson's fielding error extended the inning long enough for half that damage to occur. After that, Syndergaard recovered, retiring five in a row to end his evening and striking out nine in total. He wound up scoring the first win of his career away from Citi Field. More >
Video: NYM@PHI: Syndergaard strikes out nine
Another lead wasted: Galvis and Howard each hit two-run home runs in the third inning to give the Phillies a 4-3 lead. But for the second consecutive night against the Mets, the Phillies' could not hold the lead.
"It's nice to see that we fought them," Mackanin said. "Knocked out their two starters last night and tonight. It's good to see that. We scored five runs. Had a chance to win. Just couldn't capitalize."
Video: NYM@PHI: Howard hits go-ahead homer to opposite field
Yo for the lead: The Mets' first lead of the night came in the first inning, when Cespedes launched his second homer in two nights over the center-field fence. Cespedes has homered seven times in 22 games since joining the Mets.
Video: NYM@PHI: Cespedes gets Mets started with two-run shot
QUOTABLE
"It was definitely over the top. I had too much pine tar on my hands. That was disrespecting the game and that's not who I am. I said sorry to as many people as I could before I got to first." --d'Arnaud, on his bat flip after a bases-loaded walk in the sixth
Video: NYM@PHI: d'Arnaud draws bases-loaded walk, flips bat
BOWA EJECTED
Bowa was ejected in the seventh inning after Robles attempted to pitch before Ruf was ready. Bowa began yelling from the dugout, prompting umpire Dan Bellino to eject him and warn Robles and both benches. The Mets also began spilling out of their dugout, though order was quickly restored and Robles struck out Ruf to end the inning.
"I was surprised because I was trying to do my job, trying to do exactly what I've been doing before with the quick pitch," Robles said through an interpreter. "The batter got into the box and the umpire pointed to me, so I was ready to execute my pitches." More >
WHAT'S NEXT
Mets: It's been a rough go of late for Bartolo Colon, who owns a 5.68 ERA over his last 18 starts dating back to May 10. Colon, who could be on the outside of the Mets' playoff roster looking in, will try to improve in Monday's 7:05 p.m. ET game against the Phillies.
Phillies: Phillies fans get their first live look at rookie right-hander Jerad Eickhoff, whom the team acquired from Texas in the Cole Hamels trade. He pitched six scoreless innings last week against the Marlins at Marlins Park.
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