© Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Philadelphia Phillies Youth Spark Victory, Overcome Max Scherzer and New York Mets
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When the opposing team starts Max Scherzer, everyone knows it's not going to be an easy night.
The Philadelphia Phillies did not make it easy, nor did the New York Mets. Facing MLB's least youthful team, Philadelphia looked to their 'Daycare' for a spark. Sometimes, a lack of experience is the best experience of all.
That proved true in the case of Bryson Stott and Ranger Suárez.
Stott, leading off in the place of an injured Kyle Schwarber, had faced Mets' starter Max Scherzer once before. Apparently for Stott, Scherzer is no more fearsome than any other Major League pitcher.
Going 3-for-3 against the future Hall of Famer with an HBP, Stott become the first player ever to reach base four times in one game against Scherzer. Following two knocks in April, over 10% Stott's career hits have come against the three-time Cy Young winner.
The rookie's leadoff double set the tone for the night: the 'Phillies Daycare' is not to be under estimated.
As Stott was driven in from second a few batters later by Alec Bohm, the Phillies jumped out to an early 1-0 lead.
Then Suárez took the mound. Going into Friday night, his ERA was just 1.27 since the beginning of July. The 26-year-old Venezuelan carried that trend through seven dominant innings against the Mets, outdueling Scherzer and keeping New York hitters off balance.
Using his primary pitch, a devastating sinker, Suárez worked umpire Scott Barry behind the dish. Nibbling at the edges of the strikezone to perfection, it seemed as if the plate was an extra three inches wider by the end of the night.
Suárez got every call that was within several inches of the zone when throwing that sinker.
The only run Suárez allowed came in the second inning. Even when the Mets got to the Phillies' starter, they never made loud contact.
Ranger Suárez held Mets' hitters to one run through seven dominant innings.
© Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Pete Alonso led off the inning with a walk. He was followed by former Phillie Darin Ruf who took an inside sinker down the left field line. It was a softly-hit, looping fly ball. But the left fielder Matt Vierling, shifted right, was unable to make the grab on. It was contact that had an xBA of .020.
Alonso scored on a sac fly from the next Mets hitter, Mark Canha, but that was all the New York offense could muster for the night.
Nevertheless, they did threaten again on one major occasion.
Both Suárez and Scherzer were pulled after seven innings, as their respective managers looked to preserve arms for the stretch run. Suárez had allowed just three hits and two walks with four strikeouts over seven innings.
With him out of the way, the Mets' offense finally had a chance to do damage.
The were unable to muster anything against eighth inning reliever, José Alvarado, but it seemed a walk-off was inevitable when Starling Marte lined a lead-off double off Seranthony Domínguez to start the ninth.
The winning run moved to third on a sacrifice fly when Francisco Lindor flew out to center. That brought up Daniel Vogelbach, pinch-hitting for Ruf.
On a 1-0 count, Vogelbach lined a Domínguez sinker to left field. It was shallow, with an xBA of .770. If it didn't fall in for a base hit, it would surely score the run on a sacrifice fly.
But instead of the injured Schwarber in left field, it was Vierling who tracked down the ball on a run and made the play. Marte tagged from third, but Vierling lasered a strike to home plate. Marte was out by several steps on J.T. Realmuto's tag and the ballgame went to extra innings, knotted at one.
The Phillies had given themselves a chance, now they wouldn't let it slip.
The automatic runner on second was Stott, and he moved to third after a Rhys Hoskins swinging bunt. In another RBI situation, Bohm came to the plate and lofted a fly ball to right field, right into the waiting glove of Marte, the man who just minutes before had been thrown out attempting to win the game on a sacrifice fly.
Now with a chance help his team with his arm, Marte's throw skipped the catcher, and just like in the first inning, Stott scored to give the Phillies the lead.
Coming in to pitch the bottom of the 10th was David Robertson. He is still looking to redeem himself from two years of a bad contract in Philadelphia, and he moved the needle in the right direction.
Robertson shut down the Mets 1-2-3, preventing the 'zombie runner' from scoring and handing the Phillies their most well fought win of the year.
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