Game #23: Phillies 5, Mets 1

Most teams who commit three errors in a game are going to lose. Today was no exception.

John Buck's dropped popup opened the flootgates for a big Phillies 7th inning, as the Mets were swept for the first time at home in 2013, 5-1.

The Bad Stuff:

• New York got lucky in the 1st inning as errors by Jonathon Niese and David Wright led to nothing on the Philadelphia side. They wouldn't get so lucky in the 7th when John Buck dropped a two-out foul ball by way of Lance Nix. Nix took the second chance to single into left, then after Jimmy Rollins's single knocked out Niese, Ryan Howard slammed a pinch-hit double to put the Phils up. Chase Utley drove in Howard to make it 4-1 after seven, and John Mayberry's double in the 8th provided the final margin.
• The Mets could only manage three hits on the afternoon and just one after the 1st inning, giving Cole Hamels his first W of the season despite six walks from him. They hit 1-5 with RISP and left eight men on base.

The Good Stuff:

• Jonathon Niese took the hard-luck loss on the afternoon, allowing three runs (one earned) on five hits in 6.2 innings, walking one and striking out three on a season-high 117 pitches. The one earned run Niese allowed was a stupid home run to Freddy Galvis in the 5th inning; Galvis golfed a pitch he had no business hitting over the short wall in the left field corner.
• David Wright drove in the Mets' only run on a single in the 1st. Ruben Tejada scored that run after a leadoff double in the 1st, his first of two doubles on the afternoon.

Final Analysis:
I believe in the power of the healing hot springs. Miami should provide those tomorrow. Already guaranteed a losing record in the month of April, the Mets need at least a series win and probably a sweep to get their confidence back up for the merry (or not-so-merry) month of May. Matt Harvey takes the hill tomorrow; if anyone can get New York going, it's him.

MM