The defense truly rested for the Mets last night at Shea.
The Mets played deplorable defense in the 10th inning, committing two terrible plays – one an error, one a near-error – which cost them in a 3-2 10-inning loss to the Phillies.
Mike DiFelice and Aaron Heilman had defensive lapses, and because of them, the Mets’ lead over the Phillies is less. The Phils are trailing by 5½ games with 16 remaining, and though the Mets are in total control and have a magic number of 11, they also are letting the Phillies stay alive.
“There’s still 16 games left. So this division is not over with,” catcher Paul Lo Duca said. “So we need to go out and take it.”
With the game tied in the 10th – this, after the Mets had blown a 2-0 lead in the sixth – Aaron Heilman took the mound and allowed a broken-bat single to Jayson Werth to lead off. Next up was Carlos Ruiz, who popped a bunt up foul behind the plate.
But Mike DiFelice, who had replaced Lo Duca in the 10th after Lo Duca was ejected after arguing a called strike three to end the ninth, had the pop-up clang off him and was unable to make the catch. He was charged with an error, and Ruiz stayed at the plate.
“Obviously you’d like to make that play right there,” DiFelice said.
Ditto for the next one. After Ruiz bunted again, Heilman tried for the force at second, saying, “I think I had him.” But he threw the ball wide and into center field, and the Phillies had first and second with nobody out.
“It’s a play I’ve got to make,” Heilman said.
After another sacrifice bunt moved the runners up to second and third with one out and Greg Dobbs’ sacrifice fly gave the Phillies the win. The Mets went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 10th, striking out twice. By the way, six of their final nine trips to the plate were strikeouts.
The Phillies swept the Mets in four games last month, and have taken six straight against them overall. The Phillies are undoubtedly keeping the faith.
“Nobody in here is just riding our way to October,” David Wright said. “We know it’s still a fight and that’s when a team is most dangerous, when it’s backed into a corner and they come out swinging. That’s what they’ve done so far.”