McCutchen homer keys Phillies’ 3-game sweep of Mets
PHILADELPHIA (AP) » Andrew McCutchen entered as a mid-game injury replacement and hit a goahead, two-run home run to help the Philadelphia Phillies beat the New York Mets 6-2 on Sunday and complete a three-game sweep.
McCutchen was hitting just .180 this season with no homers and got the day off against Mets starter Rick Porcello (1-3). Jay Bruce got the start in left field but was pulled in the fourth inning with a left quad injury.
Enter McCutchen, exit home run.
“I know it’s a matter of time for me,” McCutchen said. “I want to be better than where I’ve been. I also have to respect the fact that I am coming back from an injury.”
McCutchen tore the ACL in his left knee last season but says now “there’s nothing that can stop me from being myself.”
The Phillies tied the game at 2 in the sixth on rookie Alec Bohm’s opposite-field double to right that scored J.T. Realmuto. McCutchen, batting in Bruce’s spot, hit the first pitch he saw into the left field fan cutouts for a 4-2 lead.
“The pitch to McCutchen was
my worst pitch of the day,” Porcello said.
The Phillies (8-9) moved within a game of .500 following the sweep of their NL East rival and found their footing as they head out on a 10-game road trip. The Phillies have played only one road game this season.
Zack Wheeler (3-0) gave up two runs and struck out four over seven solid innings to give the Phillies yet another quality start in his first appearance against his former team. Aaron Nola tossed seven scoreless innings on Saturday, and only the worst bullpen in baseball has kept the Phillies from making a serious run so far at the East.
“The one thing I have not seen from Zack is emotion,” Phillies manager Joe Girardi said. “I think that’s a great trait for a starting pitcher because they’re consistent in what they can do every time.”
Wheeler made his first start against the Mets since he signed a $118 million, five-year contract with the Phillies. Wheeler spent his first seven seasons with the New York Mets. He was 11-8 with a 3.96 ERA last season after going 12-7 with a 3.31 ERA in 2018. Wheeler missed the 2015 and 2016 seasons following Tommy John surgery.