NEW YORK — The Phillies’ season-opening losing streak rose to four in a 7-2 loss to the New York Mets on Friday afternoon.
The offense continued to sputter and the bullpen once again struggled.
The Phils are 0-4 for the first time since 2006.
They have not started 0-5 since 1934 when they lost their first seven.
A few ugly numbers through four games:
• The bullpen has given up 18 hits, eight walks and 15 earned runs in 10⅔ innings. That’s an ERA of 12.66.
MLB
• The Phils have been outscored 26-12.
• The team batting average is .212 (28 for 132).
• Phillies hitters struck out 11 times Friday. They have struck out 37 times in four games.
The Mets went 14-5 against the Phillies last season. They are 28-11 against the Phils since the start of the 2014 season.
Starting pitching report
Jerad Eickhoff battled command issues and a high pitch count in the early innings, but managed to pitch into the sixth. He opened the frame by allowing three straight hits, including two doubles, as the Mets scored twice to take a 3-1 lead.
One of the runs that Eickhoff gave up was unearned. He struck out two and walked two. He allowed five hits, including three doubles.
Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom scattered five hits and a run over six innings. He walked none and struck out six. He left the game with tightness in his right lat muscle, according to the Mets.
Bullpen report
Dalier Hinojosa and Daniel Stumpf combined to get three outs in the sixth. Stumpf retired the only batter he faced, Wilmer Flores, on a soft liner to center with a runner on third. Stumpf had failed to get an out and gave up a grand slam in his big-league debut Thursday.
The bullpen went bad in the seventh inning when James Russell allowed three singles and two walks on his way to giving up four runs.
At the plate
Eickhoff led off the sixth with a double and scored the Phillies’ first run on a two-out single by Odubel Herrera. Cesar Hernandez singled in a run in the eighth.
The Mets scored an unearned run in the second inning after Freddy Galvis botched a potential double-play ball. The Mets broke a 1-1 tie with two runs against Eickhoff in the sixth. Lucas Duda led off with a double and scored on a hit by Neil Walker. Michael Conforto followed with an RBI double. He had three RBIs on the day.
In the field
Galvis made a sloppy and costly error in the second.
On the bases
Cesar Hernandez made a costly base running error in the eighth. He was doubled off first on an infield-fly-rule pop out.
Lineup stuff
Maikel Franco sat out with a sore left forearm, the result of his being hit by a pitch on Thursday. He could be back Saturday night.
Up next
The series continues Saturday night at Citi Field. Vince Velasquez makes his Phillies debut against Bartolo Colon.