Phillies come up with 2 huge clutch hits to avoid disaster vs. Mets

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Good thing the Phillies had Jean Segura on Monday afternoon.

The Phils had to work a lot harder than they should have to beat the New York Mets, 9-8, in 10 innings at Citi Field.

The Phils went ahead on Segura's two-run homer against Miguel Castro with two outs in the 10th.

The big hit capped a four-hit day for Segura. He had helped the Phillies build a 6-0 lead with a three-run double in the top of the first inning.

The five RBIs were a career-high for Segura.

Zack Wheeler took a 6-0 lead to the mound in the fifth but gave up three runs. The Mets took the lead with four runs in the seventh against relievers JoJo Romero and David Phelps. Phelps gave up a three-run homer with two outs in the seventh to Jeff McNeil as the Mets took a 7-6 lead.
 
Rookie Alec Bohm tied the game for the Phillies at 7-7 with a single in the top of the eighth.

The two-run cushion provided by Segura's homer was important because the Mets rallied for a run in the bottom of the 10th. Hector Neris put out the fire and notched the save. Though Romero and Phelps struggled, the Phils got big bullpen outs from Tommy Hunter, Brandon Workman and Neris.

The win snapped a two-game losing skid for the Phillies and gave them a split of the four-game series with the Mets.

The Phillies are 20-17 with 23 games remaining.

Wheeler's day

The right-hander went six innings and allowed eight hits and three runs. He walked none and struck out seven.

Wheeler flew through the first four innings on just four hits and carried a 6-0 lead into the fifth inning. He allowed four doubles and three runs in the inning. One of the doubles came on a misplay by right fielder Kyle Garlick.

Wheeler was hit on the hip by a line drive in the second inning. He stayed in the game. It was not immediately known if that was a factor in his struggles in the middle innings or his exit after six.

Girardi's decisions

Wheeler gave up some hard-hit balls in the fifth inning and hit two batters in the sixth. Still, he was at just 83 pitches when Girardi went to the rookie Romero in the seventh. Romero was tagged for a pair of hits, and a run scored behind him on a throwing error by Didi Gregorius. Phelps came on with two outs and walked a batter before serving up a three-run homer to McNeil as the Mets took a 7-6 lead.

Girardi's decision to go to the bullpen with Wheeler's pitch count in check could certainly be questioned.

So could his decision to start Garlick in right field. Girardi did not want Adam Haseley facing lefty starter David Peterson so he moved Bryce Harper to center field and used Garlick in right. Garlick misplayed a drive from Dominic Smith into a double with two outs in the fifth inning and that cost the Phils a run.

Quick lead

Segura's three-run double in the top of the first gave the Phillies and Wheeler an early 3-0 lead. Rhys Hoskins and J.T. Realmuto both homered for the Phils.

Up next

The Phillies return home for a quick doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday afternoon before heading back out on the road to Miami on Thursday.

First pitch Tuesday afternoon is 4:05 p.m.

Zach Eflin (2-1, 4.45) and Vince Velasquez (0-0, 6.60) will be the Phillies' two starting pitchers.

Lefty Martin Perez (2-4, 4.07) will start the first game for Boston. The Red Sox had not yet announced their starter for the second game.

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