Mets settle for split vs. Phillies after getting shut down by Bailey Falter

PHILADELPHIA — Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola have been no sweat for the Mets this season, but when it’s somebody named Bailey Falter, look out.

The Phillies rookie accomplished something Saturday in Game 2 of a doubleheader that neither Wheeler nor Nola have been able to do against the Mets this year: He beat them.

The Mets managed just two hits over six innings against the lefty and had three total in a 4-1 loss to the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

Earlier in the day, the Mets jumped on Wheeler and rolled to an 8-2 victory.

The Mets are 13-5 against the Phillies in 2022 and will finish the season series on Sunday. Most notably the Mets are 9-0 in games the Phillies’ top guns, Wheeler and Nola, started against them.

In the nightcap, David Peterson lasted 4 ²/₃ innings for the Mets and allowed three earned runs on eight hits and two walks with six strikeouts. Stephen Nogosek contributed to keeping those numbers respectable by entering with the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth and striking out Matt Vierling.

Jeff McNeil’s lunging catch an inning later on J.T. Realmuto’s bloop with the bases loaded kept the Mets’ deficit at 3-1. Brett Baty’s error (his second in as many games) allowed Alec Bohm to reach with two outs, extending the inning. Rhys Hoskins stroked an RBI single in the eighth (the run was charged to lefty Rob Zastryzny) to extend the lead.

Bohm’s two-run double in the third inning accounted for most of the damage against Peterson, who had last started for the Mets on July 7. Realmuto delivered a two-out RBI single in the first after Kyle Schwarber’s leadoff double.

Falter’s wild pitch in the first inning allowed Francisco Lindor to race home from third with the game’s first run. Starling Marte was thrown out attempting to steal second base after he was hit by a pitch, costing the Mets a scoring opportunity.

Marte’s week has included a two-homer game in Atlanta and steal of home against the Phillies.

In Game 1, he added another notable performance. Marte reached base four times (all in the final five innings), helping the Mets run away with the win late.

The Mets spread around the load offensively, but Marte’s walk in the sixth and RBI single in the ninth contributed to two scoring rallies. The veteran outfielder has been an understated force in a lineup that remains among the game’s steadiest.

The Mets were already ahead 4-1 in the ninth, when they received an RBI double from Brandon Nimmo before Marte’s single brought in another run. Darin Ruf and McNeil each added an RBI single to continue the rampage.

The Mets received four strong innings from Trevor Williams in a spot start, before Seth Lugo, Joely Rodriguez, Adam Ottavino and Sam Clay handled the final five.

Tomas Nido is on the COVID list and still not expected to return to the team for a few days, so Michael Perez has received chances as James McCann’s backup at catcher. Perez contributed with both his bat and his glove in the first game.

Perez drove in two runs in the fifth, an inning after he swipe-tagged Bryson Stott out to stop a delayed steal attempt of home.

In the fifth, Perez’s two-run single provided the game’s first runs. McNeil singled and Tyler Naquin walked against Wheeler to begin the inning, with both runners advancing on Baty’s ground out. Naquin’s walk snapped a string of eight straight plate appearances with a strikeout, over three games. The MLB record (for a non-pitcher) is nine consecutive plate appearances with a strikeout, shared by several players..

For the second time in six days, the Mets beat Wheeler. The right-hander was removed after 5 ¹/₃ innings, in which he allowed four earned runs on five hits with four walks. At Citi Field last Sunday, he allowed six earned runs over six innings. Wheeler’s ERA over those last two starts has jumped from 2.63 to 3.07.

Williams extended his scoreless streak to 24 innings, holding the Phillies without an extra-base hit over his four-plus frames. Overall, the right-hander allowed four hits and two walks over 71 pitches.