NEW YORK _ Gabe Kapler knew that his already-tattered bullpen would be even thinner later Saturday night with six relievers unable to pitch. The Phillies had lost three games in a row, but the manager knew that it had been nearly six weeks since his starting pitcher _ Drew Smyly _ completed six innings.
If the Phillies were to give their fading playoff chances some life, Kapler knew he could not rely on his arms.
"For us to win games," Kapler said a few hours before a 5-0 win over the Mets. "We have to have big innings. We just have to score runs in bunches."
And it was hard to disagree. The Phillies entered Saturday as one of four teams within four games of the Cubs for the National League's second wild card. Charting a path to October is unlikely. FanGraphs gives the Phils a 1.5% chance. But hitting their way there seems to be the best route. Big innings _ like the four runs the Phillies scored in the fourth inning Saturday _ are vital.
Yet it wasn't the big inning that carried them Saturday night. It was the pitching. Smyly pitched seven scoreless innings, allowed four hits, walked two, and struck out six. Cole Irvin handled the eighth, and Nick Pivetta pitched the ninth.
The Phillies avoided their highest-leverage relievers and allowed themselves to enter Sunday's series finale with a fresh bullpen. The Phillies may not be reliant on their pitching, but they'll happily take a night like this.
They won without Bryce Harper, who watched from the dugout as his right hand remained sore from being hit by a pitch Friday night. They might have to go without Harper again Sunday as the outfielder's status remains uncertain. The offense rallied without him.
Cesar Hernandez jump-started the Phillies with a leadoff homer in the first inning. Three of the next four batters reached base on an infield single, a muffed pop-up, and a bloop single. The bases were loaded, and Kapler's big inning felt near. Instead, Brad Miller struck out and Scott Kingery lined sharply to the pitcher. The Phillies missed their chance.
But they made up with it in the fourth. Hernandez and J.T. Realmuto singled in runs before Corey Dickerson's double brought in two more. It was a big inning.
And it was plenty for Smyly. It was also enough to chase Mets starter Marcus Stroman, who was removed after allowing 10 hits in just four innings. The Phillies dipped into the Mets bullpen while giving their own a night off.
The Mets loaded the bases against Smyly in the first and started the first four innings with a runner on base. Early on, they seemed to have Smyly on the ropes. Maybe the Phillies would need a few big innings to grab a needed win.
Each time, Smyly found a way out. He retired 12 of the final 13 batters he faced. The Mets failed to find a big inning. And for one night, the Phillies did not need one.
