Bruce powers Mets past Phillies
PHILADELPHIA -- Jay Bruce hit two homers, including a go-ahead, two-run, two-out, eighth-inning shot to right field to send the New York Mets to a 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night.
The excitement started a few minutes before Bruce cranked his second homer of the game. Phillies reliever Edubray Ramos nearly drilled Mets shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera in the head to lead off the inning, resulting in Philadelphia manager Pete Mackanin being ejected.
Ramos stayed in the game, walked Cabrera, retired two batters and then was relieved by left-hander Joely Rodriguez, who subsequently coughed up the homer to Bruce.
Ramos (0-1) and Cabrera do have a history. Cabrera hit a walk-off home run off Ramos in a 9-8 Mets win on Sept. 22, 2015, followed by a bat flip.
Mets reliever Jerry Blevins (1-0) earned the win, and Addison Reed got his second save in as many nights despite allowing a solo home run to Phillies first baseman Brock Stassi, his first career long ball.
New York tied the game 2-2 in the top of the seventh inning, when second baseman Neil Walker plated Bruce with a one-out sacrifice fly.
Both teams wasted quality starts from their starting pitchers in a game that lived up to its pregame allure of a pitchers' duel between two of the division's bright young righties.
Jerad Eickhoff threw seven nearly spotless frames, allowing three hits, two runs, striking out seven batters but walking four. It was Eickhoff's 10th straight start of allowing three or fewer runs.
After a tedious, two-run first inning, Jacob deGrom settled in for the Mets. He allowed two runs on six hits in six innings while striking out three, including his 500th career strikeout.
Both starters dealt with heavy first-inning workloads. Eickhoff endured a 21-pitch first frame that included a one-out double but escaped without any damage.
However, deGrom was not as lucky.
The Phillies jumped on deGrom for two runs in a 31-pitch first inning, but saw the rally end when Stassi hit into a 1-2-3 inning-ending double play with the bases loaded.
Right fielder Michael Saunders drove in left fielder Howie Kendrick with an RBI single with the bases filled, and catcher Cameron Rupp followed with a bases-loaded walk to plate center fielder Odubel Herrera to hand Eickhoff a 2-0 lead.
After a quiet two innings by each side, Bruce got the Mets within one with one swing of the bat, lacing his third homer of the season into the right-center-field bleachers in the top of the fourth inning. It was the Mets' second hit of the night.
NOTES: Philadelphia demoted RHP Jeanmar Gomez from the closer role before Monday's game. Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said RHP Joaquin Benoit would assume the closer duties for now. ... The Phillies announced Pete Rose would be inducted into their Wall of Fame on Aug. 12 against the Mets. ... After going the first six games without committing an error, the Phillies had two on back-to-back plays Monday. ...The Toronto Blue Jays claimed Mets 3B/LF Ty Kelly off waivers Monday after New York designated the 28-year-old for assignment Sunday. ... The Mets assigned OF Juan Lagares (oblique strain) to the St. Lucie Mets, their Class A affiliate, on Monday on a rehab assignment. ... RHP Clay Buchholz (0-1, 7.20 ERA) will make his first home start for the Phillies on Tuesday against New York's Matt Harvey (1-0, 2.70).