Kodai Senga Dominates, Lindor Homers as Mets Blank Phillies 2-0 in Series Opener

AP

11:09 JST, May 31, 2023

NEW YORK (AP) — Kodai Senga allowed one hit through seven dominant innings and Francisco Lindor homered to help the New York Mets beat the Philadelphia Phillies 2-0 on Tuesday night in the first meeting this season between the NL East rivals.

Eduardo Escobar added an RBI single and Mets center fielder Brandon Nimmo robbed Nick Castellanos of a potential home run with a leaping catch at the fence.

Senga (5-3) struck out nine and permitted one baserunner — a soft single by Kody Clemens that fell in front of left fielder Tommy Pham in the third.

The rookie right-hander from Japan got six strikeouts with his disappearing “ghost forkball” and set a career high for innings in his 10th major league start.

Adam Ottavino worked a hitless eighth, getting a huge lift when rookie Francisco Álvarez threw out fellow catcher J.T. Realmuto trying to steal second after a leadoff walk.

Realmuto was initially ruled safe, but the call was overturned following a replay review that clearly showed an acrobatic tag by second baseman Jeff McNeil. It was the first caught stealing this season with Ottavino on the mound after 10 successful attempts by opponents.

David Robertson gave up a one-out single in the ninth before getting Bryson Stott to ground into a game-ending double play for his ninth save in 10 chances.

Philadelphia got 6 2/3 encouraging innings from left-hander Ranger Suárez (0-2), who entered with a 9.82 ERA.

Lindor homered off Suárez leading off the fourth and Escobar greeted Connor Brogdon by poking an RBI single between two infielders with two outs in the seventh. Castellanos saved two more runs with a sliding catch in right-center to rob Nimmo.