You knew a Max Scherzer vs Aaron Nola start would end up 9-6, right?
Max Scherzer was slightly out of character to start this game. He walked Kyle Schwarber to lead off the game, he walked Bryce Harper after being ahead 0-1, and he walked Nick Castellanos after being up 1-2 to load the bases in the first inning. He struggled a bit to find his normal aggressiveness. But from then on the bulldog in him came out, striking out Jean Segura and getting Didi Gregorius to ground out to end the first, an inning which he threw 29 pitches that sealed his fate of “five and fly”. But he only gave up one run (in the fourth after he almost pulled a second Houdini act in that inning). And after not getting a swing and miss with his four seamer in his first outing, he got six today, including one to strike out Gregorious in the 4th that seemed to reach back to his best days.
Aaron Nola on the other hand, who has been ordinary to decent since 2008 (outside of tying Tom Seaver’s consecutive strikeout recond), was touched up in 3 and 1/3, giving up three runs (including a blast by Brandon Nimmo and a long RBI double to Pete Alonso), on three walks and three hits. Then after getting to the Phillies’ bullpen, the onslaught continued. Alonso drove home another run on another double in the 5th to make it 4-1 to get the run back that Scherzer gave up in the 4th. Then in the 6th, Starling Marte drove home a run on a single and it was immediately followed by a Pete Alonso seed to right center to give the Mets an 8-1 lead to salt the game away.
Oh not to say the bullpen didn’t make it interesting. Oddly enough, the Phillies rallied for two runs in the 6th in a rally started when Sean Reid-Foley led off the inning by hitting Jean Segura in the arm (Segura looks like he’s going to be fine.) At first, it seemed like it could have been intentional as three more Mets were hit earlier. But then we came to the reality that maybe it was simply because Reid-Foley wasn’t very good today, throwing only 13 strikes out of 22 pitches, giving up two runs in 2/3’s of an inning. Then Joely Rodriguez pitched 1/3 of an inning and gave up two runs with some help from Adam Ottavino as the Phillies closed the gap to 8-5. But that was as close as they got Seth Lugo had a much better outing today than Monday, and Edwin Diaz only gave up a meaningless home run to Bryce Harper to put lipstick on a Phanatic.
For all the angst from Sunday and Monday, the Mets are 5-2 as they steam into their home opener on Friday. Taking 2 of 3 from Philly is always appreciated, but more so this year after the way both front offices formed their rosters in the off-season. It’s good to know that “Gargantuan Lineup 2.0” can be handled with good pitching and by letting their defense lead them down a path of ruin.
Today’s Hate List
I wanted Clayton Kershaw to get a chance at a perfect game today. He was pulled after seven perfect innings by Dave Roberts, who could care less about your future nostalgia as he seriously does this all the time. But to be fair, the short spring training combined with how freakin’ cold it is in Minneapolis in April makes this more understandable. Still … 80 pitches.
Which brings me to Reggie Jackson:
Clayton Kershaw Perfect game 80 pitches, take him OUT !!!!! WHAT THE! what’s the game coming to?1 of the era’s best, and you take him out with a perfect game in the 7th, 7-0 Dodgers winning. Take him OUT! THIS IS BASEBALL PLEASE PEOPLE THAT HAVE NEVER PLAYED GET OUT OF ITS WAY
— Reggie Jackson (@mroctober) April 13, 2022
Which is all well and good if Clayton Kershaw had a problem with it. But …
Clayton Kershaw was good with the decision to come out of a perfect game. Here’s what he told reporters from Minneapolis … pic.twitter.com/qnmYln4v98
— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) April 13, 2022
If I’m not mistaken, Clayton Kershaw not only played the game, but is a future Hall of Famer. So maybe, just maybe, Reggie Jackson should “get out of the way.”
F*** your perfect games.
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