Mets Overcome Seven-Run Deficit In Miraculous Comeback Win Over Phillies
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PHILADELPHIA -- It's never truly over until It's over with this team - even on their worst night.
The Mets found themselves in a 7-0 hole after four innings due to a rough outing by Taijuan Walker.
Their offense was shut down by Phillies starter Aaron Nola, who allowed one run on three hits across seven innings. And entering the ninth, the Mets trailed by a score of 7-1.
But Buck Showalter's club didn't quit.
The Mets somehow pulled off a miraculous comeback, rattling off seven runs in the top of the ninth to steal an 8-7 victory at Citizens Bank Park on Thursday.
It all started when Francisco Lindor, who has been slumping at the plate and in the field, launched a two-run homer to pull the Mets closer.
After Pete Alonso's double and Jeff McNeil's single setup first-and-third with one out, Phillies manager Joe Girardi yanked James Norwood in favor of Corey Knebel.
But Knebel allowed an infield single to Mark Canha and a double to J.D. Davis, which saw the Mets cut their deficit to 7-5.
That's when stepped Brandon Nimmo stepped to the plate and came through by tying the game with a two-run single.
But the Mets weren't finished yet. Starling Marte subsequently smashed a go-ahead double off the wall in left center to give his team their first lead of the night.
Clinging to a one-run lead all of a sudden, closer Edwin Diaz came in to shut the door for the save in the bottom of the ninth to cap off the comeback. And just like that, the Mets produced their best win of the season.
"Wins like this add up throughout the course of the year," Lindor said. "And they're huge for a ball club."
According to Showalter, Nimmo and Marte, the team felt they had a chance to comeback in the ninth after Lindor's homer cut things to 7-3.
"I'm sure everyone counted us out come the ninth inning and 'chalk it up and let's go to the next game and see what happens,'" Nimmo said. "These guys, they don't give up. With that mentality, it makes things like this possible"
“This doesn’t happen every day,” he said. “No-hitters don’t happen every day. Five-run ninth innings don’t happen every day. Seven-run ninth innings don’t happen every day. Those guys are getting paid a lot of money to get us out and they’re good at it, so this is not a normal circumstance."
So what did does this comeback tell Showalter about his club?
“Nothing that we didn’t already think.”
“That's a really good club over there," Showalter said of the Phillies. "I think we were fortunate. We just strung a bunch of good at-bats together. We’ll make everybody know that if we have some outs left, we have a chance.”
The Mets have portrayed resiliency throughout the first 28 games of the season. And as Showalter acknowledged, nights like the team's latest could indicate a sign of what's in store down the road.
"Every team develops personality as the season progresses," he said. "That’s when it’s answered a lot of early season challenges. We’ll see if it bodes well, but a night like tonight shows you what could be.”
Lost in the shuffle of this victory were 2 2/3s scoreless innings in relief from Adonis Medina, and 1 1/3 shutout frames from Chasen Shreve. This duo did not allow the Phillies to score again after Walker exited. As a result Medina picked up his first career win in the big-leagues.
The Mets are now 19-9 on the season and have the most wins in baseball.
Read More:
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- Carlos Carrasco Leads Mets To Doubleheader Sweep Of Braves
- Mets Lose Setup Man Trevor May To IL
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