by Chuck Sommers
Saturday, May 07, 2022
Time: 4:05 p.m. ET
Venue: Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
Where to watch: SNY, NBC Sports Philadelphia
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Caesars: Check back later
Season record
Mets: 19-9
Phillies: 11-15
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Mets - Phillies preview and analysis
I still can’t believe the New York Mets did that. And thanks to the rain delay, the Philadelphia Phillies had to go through another day of people making fun of them that they blew a six-run lead in the ninth inning.
Remember when they had the no-hitter not too long ago against Philly? Some things never change apparently.
Now the Mets can try and kick the Phillies when they’re down even further when they face off in a doubleheader because the rain decided to stay on the east coast and postpone every game under the sun. New York and Philly will resume in Philly on Saturday wit Max Scherzer taking the mound for the Mets, so congrats to the Mets for the victory.
"I don't think it was shock, I think it was just happiness," Francisco Lindor said. "It's like, 'Yes, we're doing it!' We all believed it [could happen], but it's just like, 'It's happening, it's happening.' You don't have too many nights like that."
"The game doesn't end until that team gets 27 outs," said Starling Marte, who hit the go-ahead RBI double in the ninth to send the city of Philadelphia into supid sadness. "So we go out there, we compete and we hope to be victorious."
One more for good measure?
"I'd say after Lindor's home run I started thinking about it," Brandon Nimmo said. "And then it became really real, especially after J.D.'s [double]. It was like, 'OK, here we go.'"
Look, I know we go for the analysis and everything of the like but sometimes things don’t need to be explained. Sometimes we just have to understand what is happening in the world, throw our hands up in the air and accept it.
And right now, the Mets are the top team in the National League East, could arguably make a case for the best team in the National League with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and are reminding everyone that certain things just are meant to be the way they are due to the gravitas of the scenario, and what that scenario is is the Phillies are god awful and are fraudulent among the highest order.
“This is as tough as it gets,” Phillies manager Joe Girardi said. “I’ve had some playoff losses [as a manager] that are pretty tough. But it’s probably my toughest one since I’ve been here.”
How’d the pitching go?
“Piss poor,” Corey Knebel said. “It shouldn’t have happened tonight. We’ve got to be better. The offense did their job tonight. The bullpen. Nola, awesome outing. The game is on me. We’ve got a six-run lead going into the ninth. It can’t happen.”
How about from one of their prized free agents?
“It sucks,” Kyle Schwarber said. “But what are you going to do? It’s over with. Move on tomorrow. You want to win a game, right? You always want to win a game every single day. Like, when we got no-hit, it’s just a loss. Tonight’s a loss. You’ve got to move onto the next day.”
You can just feel the stupendous depression in everything. One more for good measure.
“We can’t be deflated,” Schwarber added. “We can’t be down. Anything like that, right? Yeah, let them take their 30 minutes, 40 minutes, hour, whatever it is. Go home, get some sleep. We’ve got a game tomorrow, right? We’ve got three more left against these guys. So we’ve got a chance to win the series still.”
Good on them for thinking they can still win this series.
Prediction
It’s Scherzer. He won’t be as bad to let a lead get away. And I seriously do not think he gives up two homers to Schwarber in such a short outing. New York cranks up the bats and will destroy Philadelphia going away. Mets win 8-2
Betting trends
Mets are 17-5 against right-handed starters this season.
Phillies are 27-18 after allowing eight runs or more the previous game the past three seasons.
Projected lineup
Mets:
Brandon Nimmo (L) CF
Starling Marte (R) RF
Francisco Lindor (S) SS
Pete Alonso (R) 1B
Eduardo Escobar (S) 3B
Jeff McNeil (L) 2B
Mark Canha (R) LF
Dominic Smith (L) DH
Tomas Nido (R) C
SP - Max Scherzer
Brandon Nimmo (L) CF
Starling Marte (R) RF
Francisco Lindor (S) SS
Pete Alonso (R) 1B
Eduardo Escobar (S) 3B
Jeff McNeil (L) 2B
Mark Canha (R) LF
Dominic Smith (L) DH
Tomas Nido (R) C
SP - Max Scherzer
Phillies:
Kyle Schwarber (L) LF
Alec Bohm (R) 3B
Bryce Harper (L) DH
Nick Castellanos (R) RF
J.T. Realmuto (R) C
Rhys Hoskins (R) 1B
Jean Segura (R) 2B
Odubel Herrera (L) CF
Johan Camargo (S) SS
SP - Kyle Gibson
Kyle Schwarber (L) LF
Alec Bohm (R) 3B
Bryce Harper (L) DH
Nick Castellanos (R) RF
J.T. Realmuto (R) C
Rhys Hoskins (R) 1B
Jean Segura (R) 2B
Odubel Herrera (L) CF
Johan Camargo (S) SS
SP - Kyle Gibson
Statistical leaders
Mets:
Batting Average: Jeff McNeil (.348)
Hits: Jeff McNeil (31)
Home Runs: Two tied (5)
RBI: Pete Alonso (21)
Stolen Bases: Starling Marte (4)
Wins: Two tied (4)
Saves: Edwin Diaz (6)
ERA: Tylor Megill (2.43)
Phillies:
Phillies:
Batting average: Nick Castellanos -- 308
Hits: Nick Castellanos -- 28
Home runs: Kyle Schwarber -- 7
RBI: Bryce Harper -- 17
Wins: Two tied -- 2
Saves: Corey Knebel -- 4
ERA: Kyle Gibson -- 2.93
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
