Mets defeat Phillies in hazy weather to kick off second half

PHILADELPHIA — Is it just me, or could this be a sign of something unusual?

No, I’m not talking about the haze that covered much of the East Coast on Thursday. That was somewhat anticipated.

What caught my attention was the Mets’ 4-1 victory over the Phillies to kick off the second half of the season.

Thanks to two solo home runs from Francisco Alvarez and Brett Baty, plus a strong showing from pitcher Christian Scott, the struggling Mets managed to steer clear of an 18-game deficit below .500, a milestone they haven’t reached yet this year.

Due to smoke from Canadian wildfires, the game’s start was moved forward by an hour, which meant both teams had to adjust their pregame plans after a shortened All-Star break. Surprisingly, the Mets played quite well.

Scott commented, “I’ll be honest, it got a bit thick near the end. It felt like I was inhaling metal… a little adversity never hurts.”

This season has thrown a lot at the Mets, but a significant turnaround seems unlikely, especially with trade rumors swirling around before the August 3 deadline.

Looking ahead, they face one of the toughest schedules, with upcoming games against Philadelphia, NL Central leader Milwaukee, and then hosting the Dodgers and Braves, who lead their respective divisions.

However, as they navigate these challenging weeks, the Mets could find some motivation.

“We fully recognize we have one of the hardest schedules in baseball ahead of us,” said interim manager Andy Green. “We should embrace it and respond accordingly. I can’t think of any other mindset to have.”

With performances from Alvarez and Baty at the bottom of the order and the promising young talent in Scott, there’s potential for a boost.

In the top of the third, as the Philadelphia skyline became dimmer due to the smoke, Alvarez hit his first home run of the night to give the Mets the lead. Baty followed up with his fifth homer of the season in the seventh inning.

Alvarez quickly added his second home run, which ended Nola’s night on the mound.

Scott, meanwhile, had an impressive start, retiring 10 of the first 11 batters, until Bryce Harper hit a double down the right field line in the fourth inning.

Scott was relieved by Brooks Lally after just 79 pitches to face Harper. Harper walked on four pitches, but Reilly struck out Marsh to end the inning without further damage.

In the eighth, the Phillies managed to tag Luke Weaver, with Trea Turner hitting deep, making it a 3-1 game. Weaver’s streak of 27 consecutive innings pitched without giving up a home run came to a halt.

In the ninth, the Mets rallied with a double from AJ Ewing off Jared Young, wrapping up what turned out to be a rather strange afternoon and evening.

Baty remarked, “I didn’t think it was bad until the last few innings. My eyes felt a bit stingy and itchy. [Carson] Benji mentioned it was like sitting by a campfire… It was enjoyable but not exactly ideal for playing.”