On Sunday night at Citizens Bank Park, the Philadelphia Phillies took a decisive 7-1 win over the New York Mets to secure the three-game series and climb back into sole possession of first place in the National League East. The victory moved the Phillies to 47-31 on the season, while the Mets fell to 46-32, ending the weekend with Philadelphia one game up in the division standings.
Jesús Luzardo delivered a dominant performance on the mound, pitching 6 2/3 shutout innings. He allowed only three hits, all singles, walked one batter, Juan Soto, and struck out seven. Luzardo threw 107 pitches, quieting a Mets offense that had scored 11 runs the night before. His performance marked a return to early-season form after a two-game stretch in which he allowed 20 earned runs across 5.2 innings, raising his ERA to 4.08.
Through his first 11 starts of the season, Luzardo had posted a 2.15 ERA over 67 innings. His struggles on May 31 and June 6, when he gave up 20 earned runs, gave way to improvement in his three most recent outings: 17.2 innings with a 2.50 ERA. Against the Mets on Sunday, Luzardo allowed no hard-hit balls among the three hits and exited the game after a walk to Brandon Nimmo in the seventh.
Kyle Schwarber put the Phillies on the board in the fourth inning with a solo home run off Mets starter David Peterson. The ball traveled 432 feet to straightaway center and marked Schwarber’s 24th homer of the season, the most on the team. Later in the inning, Nick Castellanos doubled to left and J.T. Realmuto walked, setting up an RBI single by Otto Kemp. Kemp’s grounder deflected off Francisco Lindor’s glove into left field, scoring Castellanos and putting the Phillies up 2-0.
With two runners on, Edmundo Sosa stepped to the plate and launched a 430-foot, three-run homer into the right-center bullpen off an 84 mph slider from Peterson. Sosa’s home run was his first of the season at Citizens Bank Park. He entered the game in a 3-for-39 slump and matched that hit total in one night, finishing 3-for-4 with a single, double, and home run, missing only a triple for the cycle.
In the seventh inning, the Phillies added two insurance runs, with Turner and Schwarber singled to start the frame. Turner then scored on Alec Bohm’s sacrifice fly. Castellanos followed with his second double of the game, driving in Schwarber from first to extend the lead to 7-0.
Castellanos, who had been benched during the Phillies’ series in Miami after commenting on Rob Thomson following a defensive substitution, now ranks second on the team in RBI behind Schwarber. Over the three-game set against the Mets, Castellanos went 3-for-5 with three RBI and a home run in the opener, added an RBI double on Saturday, and recorded two doubles and an RBI in the finale.
For the Mets, Lindor homered in the eighth off Max Lazar, giving New York its lone run. Lindor’s home run ended a streak of 28 consecutive wins for the Mets in games when he hit a home run, one shy of the Major League record held by the Brooklyn Dodgers when Carl Furillo homered in 29 straight wins from 1951 to 1953.
Luzardo was relieved by Jordan Romano in the seventh, who got Tyrone Taylor to ground out and strand Nimmo. Lazar pitched the eighth and allowed Lindor’s home run. Matt Strahm pitched the ninth inning and retired all three batters he faced.
The Phillies’ series win was their 17th in 25 series this season, tying the most series wins to start a season in franchise history. The team had previously been swept by the Mets at Citi Field from April 21 to 23 and eliminated by them in last year’s NLDS. Sunday’s win brought the season series to 4-2 in favor of New York, with seven games remaining, three at Citi Field from August 25–27 and four more in Philadelphia in September.
The Phillies’ lineup looked significantly different from Opening Day. With Bryce Harper out nursing a wrist injury and three left-handed hitters, Max Kepler, Bryson Stott, and Brandon Marsh, benched against Mets lefty David Peterson, Rob Thomson inserted Otto Kemp in left field, Edmundo Sosa at second base, Buddy Kennedy at first base, and Johan Rojas in center.
The Opening Day lineup featured Harper at first, Kepler in left, Stott at second, and Marsh in center. Sunday’s substitutes replaced those regulars. Harper is expected to begin swinging a bat again during the upcoming road trip.
In the third inning, the Phillies wasted a scoring opportunity after Sosa singled and Kennedy walked. With both runners in motion, Johan Rojas bunted foul. Before the next pitch, Sosa was picked off second base. Rojas then reached on a fielder’s choice that forced Kennedy out at second. Though Rojas stole second, Trea Turner struck out, ending the inning without a run.
The Phillies scored seven runs on 10 hits and drew four walks in total, hitting two home runs, one by Schwarber, one by Sosa, and collected four extra-base hits. Castellanos led with two doubles, while Sosa added a double of his own.
The Mets hit one home run, Lindor’s solo shot, and managed four hits overall. Peterson allowed five earned runs in four innings, walking two and giving up five hits. He did not return for the fifth inning after throwing 72 pitches.
Following the win, the Phillies improved to 2-4 against the Mets on the season. The teams will not face each other again until late August.
Up next, the Phillies travel to Houston for a three-game series against the Astros beginning Tuesday night. Ranger Suárez (6-1, 2.20 ERA) will start the opener against Houston’s Framber Valdez (8-4, 3.09 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. Eastern.
Meanwhile, the Mets return home to host the Atlanta Braves. Paul Blackburn (0-1, 6.92 ERA) will start Monday’s opener for New York against Braves right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach (5-4, 3.26 ERA).
