Jay Bruce Powers Phillies Into All-Star Break With Series Win Over Mets
NEW YORK (CBS/AP) – Aaron Nola held the Mets hitless into the sixth inning, Jay Bruce homered twice and the Philadelphia Phillies quieted New York with an 8-3 victory Sunday. Bruce drove in four runs against his former team and Rhys Hoskins homered as the Phillies took two of three in the series.
Mets rookie Pete Alonso hit his 30th home run to break up Nola's no-hit bid in the sixth inning.
Bruce is now hitting .291/.308/.641 with 10 home runs, 29 RBI and six doubles in 28 games with the Phillies. The Mets traded Bruce to Seattle in the winter as part of a package for Cano and Diaz, the Mariners dealt him to the Phillies in June.
The Phils are headed into the All-Star break at 47-43 -- they were 53-42 at this point last year, before adding Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto, Andrew McCutchen and more in an offseason push.
The feuding NL East rivals kept their cool and there were no warnings from the umpires, a day after a tense game in which Jake Arrieta hit Todd Frazier and later said if the Mets veteran was still upset, "he can come see me and I'll put a dent in his skull."
Hoskins was hit in the left thigh by a pitch from reliever Wilmer Font in the seventh. As fans cheered, Hoskins spun around and slung a leg guard toward the dugout, then took his base without incident.
In April, Mets reliever Jacob Rhame was suspended two games and fined for zinging two fastballs over Hoskins' head, apparent retaliation for two Mets getting drilled.
Hoskins later got even, homering off Rhame and taking an amazingly slow trot around the bases. This time, Hoskins homered in the ninth and routinely went about his business.
Nola (8-2) extended his scoreless streak to 22 innings before Alonso hit a two-run drive with one out. The right-hander allowed three hits in 6 2/3 innings -- he has never pitched a complete game as a pro, totaling 112 starts in the majors and 31 in the minors.
Zack Wheeler (6-6) was tagged for six runs in five-plus innings, an outing that definitely didn't enhance his trade value as the July 31 deadline approaches.
The Mets went into the break at 40-50, not what they imagined after adding Robinson Cano, Edwin Diaz, Jed Lowrie and others in the offseason.
Hoskins hit an RBI double, Realmuto followed with a two-run double and Bruce had an RBI single in the first.
Bruce hit a two-run homer that finished Wheeler in the sixth and connected in the eighth for his 28th career multihomer game and third this year.
Adeiny Hechavarria connected for his first pinch-hit homer in the Mets ninth.
PETE'S POWER
Alonso, picked to play in the All-Star Game on Tuesday night in Cleveland, set an NL rookie record with 68 RBIs before the break. He was tied with Albert Pujols, who had 66 for the Cardinals in 2001. Walt Dropo set the major league mark of 83 for the Red Sox in 1950.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Phillies: Arrieta has bone spurs in his right elbow and will be checked to see whether surgery is needed. He is 8-7 with a 4.67 ERA.
Mets: OF Michael Conforto (back) entered in the seventh inning. Manager Mickey Callaway said Conforto should be OK to start after the break.
UP NEXT
Phillies: Start the second half Friday night with a three-game series at home against Washington.
Mets: LHP Jason Vargas (3-4, 3.77 ERA) starts Friday night at Miami. The Mets begin the second half with a nine-game trip that includes stops in Minnesota and San Francisco. LHP Steven Matz is set to return from the bullpen and rejoin the rotation.
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