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As bad as the Philadelphia Phillies are this year, the Mets weren’t likely to win every single one of their games against them. That they did last night was a little bit frustrating, though, since Bartolo Colon gave up just a solo home run to Ryan Howard in the top of the fifth inning. The bullpen didn’t give up anything, either, in its three innings of work.
Hansel Robles, Antonio Bastardo, and Jeurys Familia threw a scoreless inning apiece, each with one strikeout and no walks. Familia got into a jam, as he allowed three hits in the ninth, but was able to get out of it.
Unfortunately for the Mets, Vincent Velasquez, one of the players acquired by the Phillies from the Astros in the Ken Giles trade, was very, very good. He struck out nine, walked three, and gave up three hits in six innings of shutout work. Only Asdrubal Cabrera, who went 2-for-4 on the night, looked good against him. Lucas Duda had the Mets’ only other hit of the night, a single in the first inning. And believe it or not, Wilmer Flores—who rarely walks—drew two four-pitch walks against Velasquez.
As poorly as the Phillies’ bullpen had started the year, it held the Mets hitless and scoreless through the end of the game.
On the upside, the game provided us with a beautiful over-the-shoulder, hat-falling-off catch by Bartolo Colon.
*Cues up the smooth saxophone* Now pitching for the @Mets, Willie May– er, Bartolo Colon: https://t.co/EIG2Z8TOF8 pic.twitter.com/0P4xiaZilG
— Cut4 (@Cut4) April 10, 2016
SB Nation GameThreads
* Amazin' Avenue GameThread
* The Good Phight GameThread
Box scores
Win Probability Added
Big winners: Bartolo Colon, +13.1% WPA
Big losers: Neil Walker, -17.1% WPA, Yoenis Cespedes, -15.6% WPA, Michael Conforto, -11.2% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Cedric Hunter grounds into a double play in the fifth, +7.2% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Ryan Howard hits a solo home run in the fifth, -16.0% WPA
Total pitcher WPA: +24.6% WPA
Total batter WPA: -74.6% WPA
GWRBI!: Ryan Howard