Kodai Senga hit the dugout railing in excitement, showing his emotions during a surprising Game 1 start. The New York Mets, known for their late comebacks, pulled off another impressive rally, scoring five runs in the eighth inning against two All-Star relievers to win 6-2 against the Philadelphia Phillies in the first game of their NL Division Series.
“Over the long run and you keep doing that time and time again, it should work out,” Mets left fielder Brandon Nimmo said. “And we have enough good hitters that if we all come up with plans and we all take our shots, that we like our chances of breaking through.
“So I think Atlanta, Milwaukee, very recent examples that you have in the back of your head to give you confidence that you’re never out of it.”
Senga played his part well for a pitcher who had been sidelined with injuries all season. He pitched two innings in just his second start of the year, using 31 pitches before handing the game to a strong bullpen.
The right-hander allowed a leadoff home run to Kyle Schwarber on his third pitch, leaving the Mets trailing 1-0. He struck out three batters and walked one; Schwarber’s homer was the only hit he gave up.
Before this game, Senga had thrown just 5 1/3 innings in the major leagues all season. He was named the unexpected starter for the NLDS opener by Mets manager Carlos Mendoza.
The Japanese pitcher joined the Mets for the 2023 season on a $75 million, five-year contract and became an All-Star in his first year. He ended the season with a 12-7 record and a 2.98 ERA in 29 starts, finishing second in the NL Rookie of the Year voting.
But the 31-year-old only made one start this season because of shoulder and calf injuries. Senga, who was expected to be the team’s No. 1 starter, also struggled with tightness in his right triceps late in the year.
He performed well against the Phillies, making it possible for manager Carlos Mendoza to consider starting Senga again in this best-of-five series.
“If they call on me, I just prepare to pitch that day. That’s all there is,” Senga said through a translator.
Mendoza, in his first year as Mets manager, explained that the plan for Game 1 was to have Senga pitch two innings or around 35 pitches.
“We have an idea of what we’re doing there,” Mendoza said. “Hopefully we get to a point where that relationship continues to develop and there’s more conversation, kind of like what I have with the starters, that I have the whole year, and I know when to push and when not to. I don’t think I’m there with Senga.”
David Peterson, who got his first career save in the Wild Card Series against Milwaukee, helped keep the Mets competitive with three shutout innings of relief. Reed Garrett also pitched two perfect innings to secure the win.
Phil Maton struck out two in a scoreless eighth inning — Mets pitchers combined for eight strikeouts — while Ryne Stanek allowed one run in the ninth.
Thanks to the five-run rally and a strong performance from the bullpen, the Mets could rest closer Edwin Díaz.
The Mets surprised the Phillies and the crowd at Citizens Bank Park, not with a dramatic homer like Pete Alonso’s three-run shot in the ninth inning of Game 3 at Milwaukee, but by hitting a series of singles and sacrifice flies against the bullpen.
With Phillies ace Zack Wheeler out of the game after throwing seven shutout innings with just one hit allowed, the Mets had three consecutive batters reach base in the eighth after starting with 0-2 counts.
Mark Vientos hit a tying single, and Nimmo followed with a go-ahead single that gave the Mets a 2-1 lead.
All-Star relievers Jeff Hoffman and Matt Strahm managed to get just one out between them and gave up five runs in the eighth inning.
Nimmo contributed an RBI single in the ninth. All eight of New York’s hits — seven of which came in the last two innings — were singles.
After the final out, Mets fans gathered behind their dugout, chanting “Let’s Go Mets! Let’s Go Mets!”
It’s typical for the Mets to pull off a late win — they have scored 18 runs in the eighth and ninth innings over six games since Monday. New York now joins the 1980 Phillies and 1999 Mets as the only teams to win back-to-back playoff games after being behind in the eighth inning or later.
The Mets are sure to be feeling good as they prepare to send right-hander Luis Severino to the mound on Sunday for Game 2.
“In Atlanta, it was like a two-game series for our lives, and in Milwaukee, it was three,” Nimmo said. “So you still go into it understanding you’ve got to win three games, and it doesn’t matter how you get there, just as long as you get there.”
