Standings
1st. New York Mets- 82-47
2nd. Atlanta Braves- 79-50 (3 GB, in first WC)
3rd. Philadelphia Phillies- 72-56 (9.5 GB, in second WC)
4th. Miami Marlins- 55-72
5th. Washington Nationals- 43-85
Recap
New York Mets
The Mets dropped both games of an away edition of the subway series with the Yankees by identical scores of 4-2. Max Scherzer received the loss in game one after allowing 4 runs on 7 hits in 6.2 IP including a home run to MVP favorite Aaron Judge.
New York then returned home to Citi Field and took three of four from the Rockies. Pete Alonso’s RBI single in the bottom of the ninth on Friday walked it off for the Mets and set the franchise single season record for game winning RBIs. It was Alonso’s 25th game winning RBI of the season and 105th overall. The game winning single edged Alonso past the previous mark of 24 set by Keith Hernandez in 1985.
Upcoming games- Six game homestand starting with three with the Dodgers followed by three with the Nats
Atlanta Braves
The Braves swept the Pirates in three games on the road to begin their week. They finished the sweep with a 14-2 drubbing on Wednesday that featured a grand slam from Matt Olson in the top of the eighth to extend the lead to 13-0. Olson is hitting .300 with an OPS of .931 over his last 15 games played. He has four home runs over that span and 15 RBIs.
Atlanta then dropped two of three to the Cardinals in St. Louis in a potential Wild Card round preview. They won the opener 11-4 behind a 4-5 day from William Contreras and six strong innings from Spencer Strider. Contreras totaled 3 RBIs on a bases loaded double in the sixth that turned a 2-1 lead into a 5-1 lead. Strider meanwhile went 6 innings and allowed one run on 6 hits and a walk with 7 strikeouts.
Upcoming games- Six game homestand starting with three with Colorado followed by three with Miami
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies rebounded from a tough Mets series by sweeping the Reds in four games. Aaron Nola secured the sweep with a complete game shutout in the finale, a 4-1 victory. It was the third shutout and fifth complete game of Nola’s career. He allowed just five hits with no walks and 11 strikeouts.
Philadelphia then extended its winning streak to six by taking the first two from the Pirates at home before dropping the finale. Reigning MVP Bryce Harper returned to the lineup on Friday after missing 52 games with a broken thumb. Harper made an immediate impact with a two-run, bases loaded single in the first inning in a 7-4 win. It was the Phillies’ first base hit with the bases loaded and not outs in 2022.
Upcoming games- Three in Arizona followed by three in San Francisco
Miami Marlins
The Marlins took two of three from the A’s in Oakland to finish a West Coast trip. Edward Cabrera was dominant in a 3-0 win on Monday. The young right hander threw eight shutout innings while allowing just two hits and three walks with 7 strikeouts. The 24-year-old Cabrera is 4-2 with a 2.45 ERA across eight starts this season.
Miami then returned home and dropped two of the first three to the Dodgers with the fourth game happening Monday night. Sandy Alcantara got his revenge against the Dodgers with a complete game performance. He allowed just one run on six hits and two walks while striking out 10. It was Alcantara’s fourth complete game of the season, two more than any other pitcher in the majors.
Upcoming games- Finale with the Dodgers, Two at home with the rays, and three in Atlanta
Washington Nationals
The Nats split a quick two game series in Seattle to begin their week. Five Nationals pitchers combined to allow one run on five hits and four walks with nine strikeouts in a 3-1 win. Annibal Sanchez started the game and went 4.1 while allowing two hits and no runs. Ildemaro Vargas smacked a two-run homer in the top of the ninth to give the Nats the lead.
Washington then returned home and dropped two of three to the Reds. They avoided the sweep with a 3-2 win on Sunday. Patrick Corbin earned the win with six innings pitched while allowing two runs. It was the first time a Nationals starting pitcher earned a win in 43 games, setting a new Major League record for the streak of winless outings.
