The Mets were unable to complete a no-hitter, but it was the second time in four games that this was the best thing that could be said about their performance.
After Max Fried frustrated this team three days ago (the Mets went on a no-hitter and didn’t get their first hit until the ninth inning), another Cy Young Award-caliber pitcher gave his best shot on Tuesday. .
Aaron Nola was effective in the Mets’ 4-0 loss to the Phillies at Citi Field, holding the Mets to just four hits in nine innings.
Nola, who retired the first 15 batters he faced, allowed only two singles until Jeff McNeil’s pinch-hit double and Starling Marte’s double in the ninth inning.
Nola threw 109 pitches and earned his fourth shutout win of his career.
Both teams will reconvene for two games starting Wednesday in Philadelphia (this schedule quirk was introduced because of the Mets-Phillies series in London next month).
Jose Buto threw 41 pitches in the third inning, and the Phillies sent eight batters to the plate, scoring two runs and taking a 2-0 lead.
After Butt walked the second batter of the inning, Bryson Stott, loading the bases, Alec Bohm was hit by a plank. Butt followed with a walk to Brandon Marsh, extending the Phillies’ lead. Johan Rojas’ single (the Phillies’ only hit of the inning) started the rally.
Butt pitched five innings, allowing one hit and two earned runs with four walks, four strikeouts, and one hit to a batter.
It was the second consecutive five-inning start for the right-hander, who gave up three walks and allowed three earned runs in his start against the Cardinals last week.
Tyron Taylor singled to the Mets’ runner on first base on the first pitch of the sixth inning.
However, the Mets’ idea of a rally did not last long, and Nola got three quick outs after the Phillies successfully overturned a catcher interference call on Joey Wendle’s swing.
In the seventh inning, Jake Diekman walked three batters, but a timely hit off second baseman Kyle Schwarber kept the Mets’ lead to 2-0. Jorge Lopez entered the inning and got the final out.
Starting in the seventh inning, Marte’s leadoff single gave the Mets a runner on second base against Nola.
However, Francisco Lindor quickly left before Pete Alonso was hit into an inning-ending double play.
Sean Reed-Foley was tagged for two runs in the ninth inning.
Nick Castellanos hit an RBI homer in the first inning, then Stott’s double extended the lead to 4-0.
Garrett Stubbs hit a leadoff double in the first inning.
