Phillies blow six-run, ninth-inning lead in worst loss of Joe Girardi era originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
In their worst defeat of the season and probably the worst of the Joe Girardi managerial era, the Phillies blew a six-run lead in the top of the ninth inning Thursday night and lost 8-7 to the New York Mets.
The Mets scored seven runs in the ninth inning against relievers James Norwood and Corey Knebel.
The Citizens Bank Park crowd of 24,040 booed loudly after Knebel finally got the third out of the frame.
Four of the runs in the inning were charged to Norwood, who allowed a two-run homer to Francisco Lindor and left with two men on base.
Brandon Nimmo tied the game with a two-run single against Knebel with two outs. Starling Marte doubled home the go-ahead run.
The Phils have lost four in a row. They have wasted strong starting pitching efforts two nights in a row. Aaron Nola followed Zack Wheeler‘s 7 2/3 scoreless innings from Wednesday night with seven innings of one-run ball in this one.
It wasn’t enough.
The Phillies are 11-15.
The Mets lead the NL East at 19-9. They are 5-2 against the Phillies this season.
The Phillies produced 12 hits against Mets pitching, including homers by Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos.
The Phils got nothing going in the bottom of the ninth against Mets closer Edwin Diaz.
Castellanos drove in a run in each of his first three at-bats and left the game after being hit by a pitch in the sixth inning by Mets reliever Adonis Medina, a former Phillie. Castellanos had an X-ray, which the Phillies said was negative. He will be re-evaluated on Friday.