Segura bails out bullpen in 10th inning to beat Mets
NEW YORK » Jean Segura has helped all over the Philadelphia Phillies infield this season.
Might have the bullpen’s biggest save now, too.
“Jean has been special for us this year,” manager Joe Girardi said.
Segura hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning and drove in a career-best five runs, bailing out the Phillies’ abominable bullpen to salvage a 9-8 win over the New York Mets on Monday for a four-game split.
The Mets erased a 6-0 deficit against former teammate Zack Wheeler and baseball’s worst relief corps, taking a 7-6 lead on Jeff McNeil’s three-run homer in the seventh inning.
Philadelphia rookie Alec Bohm countered with a tying single in the eighth against Jeurys Familia, plating Segura before Andrew Knapp turned too wide around third and got picked off to end the inning.
Segura hit his fifth homer of the season with two outs in the 10th, lining a pitch from
Miguel Castro (1-1) over the wall in left-center. Segura, who entered with 12 RBIs this season, also had a threerun double in the first inning and finished with four hits.
Héctor Neris allowed an RBI single to Brandon Nimmo in the bottom of the inning but still completed his third save.
Rhys Hoskins and J.T. Realmuto homered for Philadelphia, which improved to 20-17 and moved 3 ½ games ahead of New York and remained 1 ½ ahead of Miami for second place in the NL East. Philadelphia opens a brutal stretch with five doubleheaders in 15 days Tuesday.
Segura has bounced between second and third base this season after being an everyday shortstop throughout his career. Girardi had ample praise for Segura’s upbeat attitude throughout the transition.