Mets Rout Phillies 17-0, Take NL Wild Card Lead

Given the shaky state of their starting rotation, the New York Mets seemed bound to face trouble before the start of their four-game series against the Phillies this weekend.

Mets Rout Phillies 17-0, Take NL Wild Card Lead

Sunday’s game strongly suggested otherwise, nevertheless, as the Mets thrashed Philadelphia 17-0 at Citi Field for their most lopsided shutout victory in franchise history.

Just as he was on Thursday in the opener of the series against the Phillies, Asdrubal Cabrera proved to be one of the major players, hitting a grand slam in the seventh inning to score Rene Rivera, Brandon Nimmo and Jose Reyes and give New York an 11-0 lead.

With the win, the Mets moved one game ahead of the Giants for the lead National League Wild Card spot. The Cardinals, who fell 3-1 to the Cubs on Sunday night, are a half-game behind San Francisco.

“We needed one of those,” Mets manager Terry Collins said. “Our bullpen was shot. So it was nice to be able to have comfortable innings at the end of the game.”

Rookie right-hander Robert Gsellman helped save the Mets with a season-high eight strikeouts, in what was easily the best start of his young career. The 23-year-old also singled on a bund down the first-base line in the third for his first Major League hit. Gsellman is currently nursing a left shoulder injury that prevents him from swinging. Over seven scoreless innings, the rookie gave up just three hits and two walks to earn his third win.

“I’m pretty comfortable,” Gsellman said. “I’m getting more confident and just keeping it rolling.”

Curtis Granderson hit his 30th homer off Phillies starter Jake Thompson, who allowed three runs in four innings. The Mets then began the blowout when Cabrera smacked his third career grand slam off Colton Murray. Cabrera’s performance is especially impressive given that he has suffered from a chronically sore left knee and a welt on his right leg during much of this home-stand.

Philadelphia pitchers walked nine batters in total and hit four more. The Phillies’ bullpen had a 14.29 ERA (27 earned runs in 17 innings) in the series against the Mets.

“Pretty embarrassing game today,” Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said.

Before Sunday’s game, the Mets and Phillies both lined up in front of their respective dugouts to honor late Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez, who died early Sunday in a tragic boating accident. Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespdes taped a Fernandez jersey to the wall of the home dugout, as members of both teams payed their respects.

The NL wild-card game will be held on Oct. 5 at the home stadium of the wild-card team with the better record.

Helped by a day off Thursday, the Mets plan to use their top and healthiest starters– Bartolo Colon and Noah Syndergaard–twice. But if the Mets manage to claim a playoff berth before the final weekend, they could simply adjust their pitching schedule to prepare Syndergaard for a wild-card game start.

“I have great confidence in what’s going on,” Collins said.

The 17-0 final was the most lopsided shutout victory in Mets franchise history, one run shy of their most lopsided win ever (19-1 over the Cubs on May 26, 1964).  The loss was Philadelphia’s largest margin of defeat since a 22-3 loss to the Reds on Sept. 4, 1999 at Veterans Stadium.

The Phillies are off on Monday, but they open their last road series of the season Tuesday night against the Braves at Turner Field. Righty Jerad Eickhoff (11-14, 3.75 ERA) will make his penultimate start of the season.

The Mets, (83-73, 2nd in NL East) meanwhile, next travel to Miami for a three-game series against the Marlins that begins on Monday night. Bartolo Colon will take the mound against the Marlins, (77-78, 3rd in NL East) who will be mourning the loss of Fernandez. Miami’s team canceled their scheduled Sunday game against the Braves, hours after Fernandez’s passing.

NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 25: Robert Gsellman #65 of the New York Mets delivers a pitch during the fifth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field on September 25, 2016 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)