Jake washed out
But Mets manage to slosh past Phils
About a half-hour before the first pitch, the Phillies learned the Mets had scratched major-league ERA leader Jacob deGrom because of a steady rain forecast for all afternoon.
“In a big game, obviously we liked our chances not having to face him,” Rhys Hoskins said.
Hoskins hit a two-run homer in the first inning off rookie Corey Oswalt, but the Phillies could not shake their funk. Vince Velasquez allowed
Michael Conforto’s tiebreaking, threerun homer in a four-run fifth inning that propelled the Mets to a 6-4 victory Sunday.
“Of course that’s a missed opportunity,” Hoskins said. “Not because it wasn’t deGrom and we didn’t beat somebody else. Just another series that seemed to slip away.” Philadelphia, which led the NL East before play Aug. 12, dropped 4½ games behind first-place Atlanta. The Phillies also trail by the same margin for the second wild card with three weeks left.
After a loss as dismal as Sunday’s weather, manager Gabe Kapler said “we need to turn the page quickly” more often than a speed-reading instructor.
“Things kind of just got out of hand,” Velasquez said. “Missing spots kind of all game. Conditions kind of got the best of me and can’t let that happen.”
Conforto tied a career best with four RBI and made a pair of fine catches. Rookie Jeff McNeil had his second straight three-hit game and fifth overall, raising his average to .340 as the Mets took two of three.