The Mets blew a two-run lead in the ninth, but they managed to walk off with a 5-4 win over the Phillies on Friday. >> Box score
Six Takeaways from Friday's game
1) With a 4-2 lead in the ninth, Mickey Callaway elected to go with Edwin Diaz. After striking out Logan Morrison, Diaz allowed a single to Jean Segura, and then the big blow, a two-run home run by JT Realmuto on a hanging slider. Diaz's nightmare of a first season with the Mets continued on Friday night, as he allowed two more earned runs, pushing his season ERA to 5.88 and recording his seventh blown save. Diaz has now allowed 14 ninth-inning home runs this season, tying Francisco Rodriguez (2014 Brewers) for the most in MLB history, according to ESPN Stats & Info.
2) In the bottom of the ninth inning, the Mets rallied to load the bases with two outs, setting the stage once again for Pete Alonso. With a 3-2 count, Alonso laid off of a high breaking ball from Nick Vincent, forcing in the winning run on a walk-off walk.
3) In the bottom of the third inning, Todd Frazier led off with a looping single up the middle, just out of the reach of Cesar Hernandez. It was the 1,000th hit of Frazier's big-league career. Frazier moved to second on a Steven Matz sacrifice bunt and came around to score on a Jeff McNeil RBI single, putting the Mets up 1-0.
4) The Mets added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth on a Michael Conforto solo home run. His 29th home run of the season, Conforto's shot was an absolute no-doubter into the second deck in right field off of Zach Eflin that gave the Mets a 2-0 lead.
5) Matz was in an early rhythm for the Mets, working quickly and keeping the Phillies scoreless through the first four innings. With two outs in the fifth though, Jean Segura doubled down the left field line on a questionably close ball that was called fair. JT Realmuto followed with an RBI double of his own to put the Phillies on the board. Then in the sixth, Rhys Hoskins reached on a walk and eventually came around to score on an RBI hit by Maikel Franco. After a Jose Pirela single, Matz's night was over. He allowed two runs on six hits in 5.2 innings. He struck out just four while walking three.
6) In a huge spot in the bottom of the eighth, Pete Alonso delivered, as he's done time and time again during his rookie year. With runners on first and second and one out, Alonso singled through the hole on the left side off of Hector Neris, scoring pinch-runner Sam Haggerty from second base, giving the Mets a 3-2 lead.
Two batters later, Wilson Ramos singled off of Neris as well, scoring McNeil and giving the Mets an insurance run, though they ultimately would blow the lead.
Highlights
Video: Todd Frazier singles for his 1000th career hit
Video: McNeil drives in Frazier for 1-0 Mets lead
Video: Michael Conforto hits monster home run in 4th inning
Video: Pete Alonso drives in go-ahead run in 8th inning
What's next
The Mets and Phillies square off again on Saturday at 7:10 PM at Citi Field. Marcus Stroman (7-12, 3.28 ERA) will toe the rubber for the Mets against Phillies lefty Drew Smyly (3-6, 6.65 ERA).