The Mets’ final home game of the season ended the way too many of their rough afternoons have lately: with the other team controlling the pace, the weather turning miserable, and New York never quite finding its footing. Philadelphia left Citi Field with a 7-2 win Sunday, and the rain-soaked day never gave the Mets much room to breathe.
Jonah Tong took the ball for New York and had a hard time settling in. He allowed four runs, issued four walks and struck out five, a line that told the story of a starter who kept running into traffic.
The Phillies jumped on him right away in the first inning, putting up two runs on a sacrifice fly from Luis Arraez and an RBI single from Alec Bohm. Tong also took a shot of bad luck when he was knocked to the ground on a collision with Bryson Stott while trying to finish the play at first base.
He limped toward the dugout, then shook it off and stayed in the game.
There was a brief reset in the second, when Tong worked a 1-2-3 inning. But the rain kept coming, and so did Philadelphia in the third, adding another pair of runs with the steady drizzle hanging over Citi Field.
Meanwhile, Cristopher Sanchez kept the Mets from ever really building momentum. New York put runners on base in the second and third innings, but couldn’t cash in.
Sanchez finished with six strikeouts and allowed two runs, and after giving up a pair of hits in the third he settled into a rhythm, retiring nine Mets in a row. The Mets finally broke through in the sixth when Bo Bichette launched a solo homer off Sanchez to get them on the board.
Sanchez then got Mark Vientos and Carson Benge to finish the inning, his 24th time working through six innings this season.
The Mets had a short burst in the seventh after Phillies manager Don Mattingly sent Sanchez back out, then removed him with one out after Francisco Alvarez singled. AJ Ewing and Brett Baty followed with back-to-back pinch-hit singles against reliever Alex McFarlane, and Baty’s knock brought Alvarez home to trim the lead to 4-2.
But the rally stopped there. Francisco Lindor popped out, and Juan Soto struck out to end the inning.
New York’s bullpen gave the club some stability for a bit. Jack Weisenburger and Jefry Yan combined for 2.1 scoreless innings after Tong exited.
Then Kodai Senga couldn’t keep the game within reach. In the eighth, Justin Crawford ripped a three-run triple that blew the score open and effectively put the night away, while also renewing questions about Senga’s place on the team.
The game also carried a quieter, more emotional note. Howie Rose, the beloved radio voice, worked his final broadcast despite the rain.
After the last out, the Mets dugout came out onto the field and raised their caps to him. His official farewell will come next season.
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