Instant Replay: Mets 9, Phillies 4

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NEW YORK – One night after snapping a 10-game losing streak against the New York Mets, the Phillies played a sloppy game in absorbing a 9-4 loss at Citi Field.

The Phillies are 2-14 against the Mets this season.

Rookie Aaron Nola struggled in a matchup with power-armed Mets right-hander Matt Harvey, but his defense let him down several times.

The Phillies are a majors-worst 53-81.

The Mets lead the NL East at 74-59.

Starting pitching report
Nola has made 27 starts this season, 18 in the minors and nine in the majors. This was his worst, though it must be pointed out that the Phillies played poor defense behind him. The right-hander lasted just four innings, making it his shortest outing of the season. He gave up nine hits and six runs, walked none and struck out four.

Nola allowed two homers, though one was an inside-the-park job that was the result of an awkward misplay by Domonic Brown in right field.

Nola is 6-2 with a 4.02 ERA.

Harvey opened the game with three strikeouts and hit 98 mph on the radar gun. He went 6 1/3 innings for his 12th win. He gave up nine hits and four runs, walked one and struck out nine.

Bullpen report
Right-hander Colton Murray made his big-league debut in the bottom of the eighth. He got the first out then got ahead of Yeonis Cespedes, 0-2. Cespedes ended up hitting a 1-2 fastball out for his 28th homer of the season and 10th in 30 games with the Mets. Murray struck out the next two hitters.

At the plate
Erik Kratz and Darnell Sweeney did their best to help keep the Phillies in the game after the Mets ran out to a 6-0 lead. Kratz had a two-run, pinch-hit double in the fifth and Sweeney belted a solo homer off Harvey in the seventh. It was Sweeney’s third homer in 23 at-bats with the Phillies.

Mets rookie Michael Conforto, picked 10th overall in the 2014 draft, three spots behind Nola, smacked a two-run homer off the Phillies right-hander in the third inning.

Ruben Tejada had three RBIs, including two on an inside-the-park homer.

In the field
Brown tried unsuccessfully to make a shoestring grab of Tejada’s fly ball down the right-field line with two outs and a man on second in the second inning. The ball bounced by Brown and his momentum carried him over the short wall in foul territory as the ball rolled into the corner and Tejada rounded the bases.

Brown flipped and hit the concrete hard and two innings later left the game to be evaluated for a possible concussion. He will head home for evaluation and not accompany the team to Boston.

While Brown’s misplay cost Nola, so did first baseman Ryan Howard’s being unable to halt a hot smash by Daniel Murphy. It went for an RBI double.

Later in the game, Sweeney, who moved from left to right when Brown exited, gunned down a runner at third with a good throw.

Health check
Maikel Franco tested his ailing left wrist with some swings Wednesday. It did not go well. He might not make it back this season, after all (see story).

Up next
The Phillies are off Thursday. They open a three-game interleague series against the Red Sox in Boston on Friday night. Here are the pitching matchups:

Friday night – LHP Adam Morgan (5-4, 4.03) vs. RHP Joe Kelly (8-6, 4.94)

Saturday afternoon – RHP Alec Asher (0-1, 6.35) vs. LHP Wade Miley (10-10, 4.75)

Sunday afternoon – RHP Jerad Eickhoff (1-2, 2.84) vs. LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (8-5, 4.25).

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