But on Sunday, before the end of the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field, all three had gone down to injury.
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Ellis got a big hit in his Philadelphia debut, breaking a seventh-inning tie with a two-run double Sunday that sent the Phillies to a 5-1 victory over the New York Mets. The 29-year-old pitched through trouble throughout his abbreviated start, and served up a pair of booming home runs in the Phillies 12-1 loss to the Mets.
“Just the nature of the game”, Mets manager Terry Collins said.
“The way he handled the pitching staff, the way he prepared himself for games with the pitchers from a defensive standpoint, and just kind of knowing different situations”, Howard added.
NY has won six of their last seven games and stayed within 2-½ games of the second wild card postseason spot in the National League.
Cespedes is reminded of a year ago, when his arrival after a July 31 trade helped the Mets turn a moribund offence into a pennant victor.
“I think the energy in that room right now goes back to the last two months of last season”, outfielder Yoenis Cespedes said through a translator after Saturday’s win. “The desire, the motivation, the not giving up until the last out”. Jose Reyes shifted over to play shortstop.
NY has posted at least nine runs in three straight for the first time since June 2012 – and scored nine or more in successive home games for the first time since September 2008.
The 37-year-old Ruiz spent 11 seasons with the Phillies and helped them win five straight NL East crowns (2007-11), two pennants (2008-09) and the 2008 World Series championship. The ballpark opened in 2009.
The Phillies (59-70) have lost four of five.
“The confidence is back”, Collins said.
“It was a lot more fun catching those guys than hitting against them”, Ellis joked.
The 43-year-old Colon (12-7) carried a two-hitter into the eighth and took over the team lead in wins as NY began a pivotal 10-game homestand by winning for the fifth time in its past six.
Cabrera, who hit two homers in Friday’s win, went the other way with a fastball in the third inning and hit a two-run homer in left-center to give the Mets a 2-1 lead. Blackmon has 23 home runs this season and five multihomer games. No matter. Kelly Johnson hit a pinch hit grand slam to make it 11-1.
“Tonight”, manager Pete Mackanin said, “was embarrassing”.
NY had won three straight and six of seven. “Really grasping and buying into the program and just all pulling for one another”. NOTES: The Mets will promote RHP Rafael Montero from Double-A Binghamton to start Monday’s series opener against the Miami Marlins.
Mariners 3, White Sox 1: Chris Sale struck out 14, including six straight in the sixth and seventh innings, but got outpitched by Felix Hernandez and the Seattle bullpen. He opened his season with six scoreless innings at NY but was reached for five runs (two earned) in 4 1/3 frames in a rematch 10 days later. “That was just all reflex”.
“I’ve done it before”, Cabrera said.
The Phillies barely dented Noah Syndergaard Saturday night. Fortunately for Rivera, he never left town Friday when he was optioned to the minors to make room for 2B Walker, who came off the paternity leave list.
“It looks like a completely different team”, Collins said.
In today’s finale, Vince Velasquez will get the start in hopes of putting together a few strong outings before he’s shut down for the season.
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Gsellman is taking the spot of the injured Jon Niese, who suffered a knee injury Tuesday against St. Louis, and will be making his first start in the majors.
