The Philadelphia Phillies are looking towards a National League wild-card series after Mother Nature cooperated long enough on Saturday. They will try to move closer to securing a postseason spot by completing a four-game sweep of the New York Mets on Sunday evening. Left-hander Cristopher Sanchez is set to start for the Phillies against right-hander Jose Butto.
Due to the forecast of constant rain from Tropical Storm Ophelia on Sunday afternoon, the Phillies announced a five-hour delay for the first pitch, pushing it back to 6:05 p.m. ET. Despite the looming rain, the Phillies solidified their hold on the first wild-card spot with a 7-5 victory on Saturday, thanks to Bryce Harper’s home run and three RBIs.
With their fourth consecutive win, the Phillies reduced their magic number for clinching a playoff spot to two. They could secure a berth on Sunday with a victory and a loss by the Miami Marlins earlier in the day against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Phillies also extended their lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks to 4 1/2 games in the race for the NL’s top wild-card spot.
The arrival of Tropical Storm Ophelia affected Philadelphia on Saturday, but the game was able to proceed despite intermittent rain and heavy winds. This allowed the Phillies to keep ace Zack Wheeler on his regular schedule and have him ready to start the opener of an NL wild-card series next week. Wheeler will make his final regular-season start on Thursday against the Pittsburgh Pirates and will be on regular rest for the playoffs.
Mets, on the other hand, have shifted their focus to the long-term after being officially eliminated from playoff contention with a 5-4 loss in 10 innings on Friday. In Saturday’s defeat, a trio of rookies in the lineup showed promise, with Ronny Mauricio, Brett Baty, and Mark Vientos combining for four hits and three runs.
The Mets took a 2-0 lead in the second inning in an unusual manner, capitalizing on a misplayed potential double play ball by Phillies shortstop Trea Turner. Mauricio scored from first base after initially slowing down at third and then dashing home when Kyle Schwarber casually threw the ball to Turner with his back turned.
Sanchez, who took the loss in his last start, will be looking to bounce back. He has a career record of 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA in four games (two starts) against the Mets. Butto, on the other hand, had a solid outing in his last appearance, allowing only one run over six innings. However, in his major league debut against the Phillies, he gave up seven runs over four innings.
In conclusion, the Phillies are aiming to secure a wild-card spot while the Mets are focusing on the development of their young players. The game was delayed due to Tropical Storm Ophelia, but both teams are ready to compete.
