PROTECT YOUR DNA WITH QUANTUM TECHNOLOGY
Orgo-Life the new way to the future Advertising by AdpathwayPHILADELPHIA – Summer arrived during this road trip, but right now the Mets could use plenty of spring.
After snapping a seven-game losing streak the previous night, manager Carlos Mendoza’s crew reverted to listless form in Sunday’s series rubber game against the Phillies.
Even usually reliable David Peterson was a mess in getting knocked out after four innings in the Mets’ 7-1 loss at Citizens Bank Park that completed their brutal trip.
In a fourth inning from hell, Peterson surrendered two long home runs and buried the Mets in a five-run hole, forcing his team into trying to play catch up against lefty Jesús Luzardo.
But the cavalry, which blasted seven solo homers Saturday, was nowhere to be found.
“It’s important to remain positive, to remain united,” Luis Torrens said through an interpreter. “We know that situations like this are going to happen, but at the same time it’s important to go out there and work.”
Francisco Lindor homered in the eighth for the Mets’ only run.
The Mets had won the previous 28 games in which Lindor homered, one short of the MLB record.
The Mets went 1-5 against the Braves and Phillies on the trip.
Their reward is a return to Queens for a rematch against the Braves, who swept them last week.
In his worst start of the season, Peterson allowed five earned runs on six hits and three walks over four innings with four strikeouts.
The start was not only Peterson’s shortest, but his runs allowed were a season high.
It completed a turn through the rotation in which Mets starters pitched to a 6.55 ERA.
It’s also not the same rotation that carried the Mets for the first 2 ½ months of the season, as Kodai Senga and Tylor Megill sit on the injured list.
Mendoza was asked if he was more concerned about the lineup, which, aside from an 11-run outburst Saturday, has struggled during this stretch of eight losses in nine games, or the team’s pitching.
- CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND METS STATS
“I feel now the concern is more the state of the bullpen — how much we have used those guys,” Mendoza said, citing his starters’ recent struggle to work deep into games. “We have been shuffling a lot of guys, but we have got to find a way. We have got some really good arms in this room and they will get back on track. They will get us back on track.”
Peterson got jumped for five runs in the fourth, when he faced 10 batters, burying the Mets in a 5-0 hole.
Kyle Schwarber launched a homer to center leading off the inning and Otto Kemp’s RBI single after Nick Castellanos had doubled and J.T. Realmuto walked gave the Phillies a 2-0 lead.
Edmundo Sosa crushed a slider for a three-run homer.
It marked the first time Peterson surrendered multiple homers in a game since his first start of the season, on March 31 in Miami. He had allowed only four this season before Sunday.
“They made adjustments and whatnot, but I didn’t execute enough pitches,” Peterson said. “And the ones I didn’t execute the way I wanted to, they took advantage of.”
The Phillies extended the inning with Johan Rojas’ two-out walk and Trea Turner’s single before Peterson retired Schwarber to end the frame.
Peterson could be seen stretching his hip during the inning but said he was fine physically.
Luzardo muzzled the Mets, who had their best chance against him in the fourth when Juan Soto walked and Brandon Nimmo singled with two outs.
Delivering insights on all things Amazin’s
Sign up for Inside the Mets by Mike Puma, exclusively on Sports+
Thank you
Luzardo escaped by retiring Torrens. Luzardo allowed only three hits over 6 ²/₃ scoreless innings and struck out seven with one walk.
“He attacked and used all his pitches pretty much effectively,” Mendoza said. “We chased at times. He got ahead and we didn’t do too much.”
In the ninth inning, with the Mets trailing by six runs, Soto and Nimmo were removed for pinch-hitters. Mendoza said the idea was to give both players a breather.
“You don’t get too many opportunities,” Mendoza said. “And I thought today even one at-bat would [help].”
English (US) · 
French (CA) ·