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NEW YORK — One thing odd caught Jeff McNeil’s eye throughout the fourth inning Saturday night time: an eagle — or so he thought — crashing into the higher deck at Citi Area.
An attention-grabbing omen with McNeil’s Mets going through rival Philadelphia.
With polar bears, flying squirrels, racoons and rats, New York has rallied itself round a number of critters in recent times.
Time for a brand new one: Fly, McNeil, Fly!
McNeil hit a go-ahead, three-run homer moments after witnessing a large fowl wreck into an aisle in proper discipline, Francisco Lindor drove in three to increase his RBI streak to a career-best six video games and the Mets beat the Phillies 8-2 on Saturday night time.
“I simply noticed it earlier than I took that at-bat, and I hit a homer,” McNeil stated.
Rain started pouring within the backside of the fourth with New York trailing 2-1. McNeil was on the finish of the dugout, about to go on-deck, when he noticed a commotion in proper. He turned to supervisor Buck Showalter and tried to elucidate that he’d simply witnessed an eagle smash into the stands.
“I used to be form of staring out into house, into nothing, and I noticed one thing,” McNeil stated. “I do not know what it was. It was a fowl.”
In the meantime, the Mets have been rallying in opposition to starter Zach Eflin (1-4). Lindor walked and Pete Alonso singled, then McNeil roped his homer into the second deck in proper discipline, two aisles over from the place the fowl fell. He flipped his bat and stared into New York’s dugout because the ball soared into the seats for a 4-2 lead.
It is unclear what the fowl really was, nevertheless it did trigger a quick disturbance in proper discipline, the place many followers have been attempting to flee for canopy from the rain.
McNeil, nicknamed the Flying Squirrel in school, has been on the heart of some animal-related incidents at Citi Area. He and Lindor squabbled within the dugout final 12 months and suspiciously blamed it on a debate over a rodent after a comeback victory. McNeil additionally homered after assembly a pet pregame in 2019, then satisfied his spouse to undertake the fuzzy canine.
As for that eagle?
“Only a coincidence, I suppose,” he stated.
Taijuan Walker (3-0) restricted the Phillies to 2 runs in 5 innings, Luis Guillorme matched a profession excessive with three hits and the NL East leaders improved to 31-17. They’re going to attempt for a three-game sweep Sunday night time of their ultimate sport in opposition to Philadelphia till Aug. 12.
Bryce Harper, Nick Castellanos and J.T. Realmuto had two hits every, however the Phillies stumbled with yet one more defensive lowlight within the outfield and went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring place.
The rain let up within the fifth, however the Mets did not. Guillorme led off with a bunt single, Starling Marte doubled, and each scored on Lindor’s triple. Lindor drove in one other run with a single within the seventh and has 14 RBIs throughout his six-game run.
“He is been swinging at a variety of pitches within the white a part of the plate,” Showalter stated.
Lindor’s triple was an extended fly ball that skipped off the fence in left-center between Phillies outfielders Kyle Schwarber and Odubel Herrera. The pair collided on the warning observe and bounced off the wall collectively, the newest misplay by Philadelphia’s maligned defenders.
“I feel they each in all probability had a possibility,” supervisor Joe Girardi stated. “However I’ve to take a look at it nearer.”
Alonso adopted with a sacrifice fly, making him the primary Mets participant to accrue 29 RBIs in Might. Alonso leads the majors with 46 RBIs in 48 video games.
Dominic Smith’s sacrifice fly within the second made it 1-0 New York, however Philadelphia took the lead within the fourth. Realmuto’s bases-loaded line drive went simply previous a diving Guillorme at second base for a two-run single and a 2-1 benefit.
Eflin lined six innings however was charged with seven runs. He struck out 4 after punching out 12 Los Angeles Dodgers in his earlier outing.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Phillies: Harper was hit within the foot by Rhys Hoskins’ foul ball whereas main off third base within the third inning, however remained within the sport.
Mets: RHP Jacob deGrom stated his injured proper shoulder blade feels “fully regular,” and he is ready for New York’s medical workers to clear him to renew throwing off a mound. … CF Brandon Nimmo had an MRI on his proper wrist that got here again clear, however was held out of the lineup. Showalter stated he anticipated Nimmo would possibly get an injection, however he does not anticipate New York’s leadoff hitter will miss important time. … RHP Yoan Lopez was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse, and OF Nick Plummer was known as up.
UP NEXT
Former Mets pitcher Zack Wheeler (3-3, 3.38) begins for the Phillies in opposition to New York RHP Chris Bassitt (4-2, 3.91) on Sunday night time. Wheeler is 4-2 with a 2.58 ERA in 9 begins in opposition to the Mets since signing a $118 million, five-year cope with Philadelphia previous to the 2020 season.
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