Brett Baty’s clutch homer not enough as Mets fall to Phillies in extra innings

PHILADELPHIA — The Mets were all but out of it in the ninth inning. But Brett Baty launched a bomb off Craig Kimbrel to keep the game alive.

Baty hit his second homer in three games Friday night with one out in the top of the ninth off the Philadelphia Phillies closer to tie the game. He crushed a 2-2 fastball 432 feet to left-center field for his ninth of the season. An elated Baty circled the bases and then made the final out of the ninth to send the game into extra innings.

But the excitement was short-lived. Alec Bohm drove in the winning run and the Phillies handed the Mets a 5-4 loss in 10 innings.

“That was a really well-struck ball against a good pitcher,” manager Buck Showalter said of Baty’s home run. “He made some good plays tonight too in pressure situations.”

The Mets loaded the bases on right-hander Seranthony Dominguez (5-5) in the top of the inning, but Pete Alonso struck out. Ottavino (1-6) intentionally walked Bryce Harper, advancing the automatic runner, Trea Turner, putting him in position to score easily on Bohm’s line drive to right field.

In the end, it mattered little. The loss mathematically eliminated the Mets (71-83) from postseason contention. This was a long time coming since the Mets decided to change course in late July right before the trade deadline.

“We took a direction,” Showalter said. “It’s more about tonight’s game and some of the good things that went on with (Tylor) Megill and Baty and (Ronny Mauricio).”

Kimbrel struck out Baty one night prior. The rookie third baseman was fooled on the ride of Kimbrel’s fastball once but showed how quickly he can adjust by jumping on one this time.

“I was in the same situation yesterday and couldn’t get the job done,” he said. “Today, ended up hitting one. I just learned from my mistakes.”

Baty’s blast took Megill off the hook for the loss. The right-hander was cruising toward what appeared to be one of his more solid outings of the season until the sixth inning. Then a three-run shot by JT Realmuto derailed it.

“I was one pitch away from having a stellar outing,” Megill said. “That sucks. It’s frustrating, to say the least.”

Realmuto’s homer came after Megill held the Phillies scoreless through the first give. Megill entered the sixth inning with the Mets up 2-0 and having thrown fewer than 80 pitches. By the time he exited, he was at 99 and the home team was on top.

With one out, Megill hit Bryce Harper with a pitch and gave up a single to Bohm to put runners on first and second. He struck out Bryson Stott and was nearly out of the inning.

But Realmuto teed off on the first pitch he saw from Megill, a 93 MPH four-seam fastball that was left up there pretty high. He limited the damage to three runs on five hits, walking one and striking out six.

“I was throwing really well,” Megill said. “Then the home run. It definitely stings. But for the most part, I felt good. I was throwing strikes, putting the ball in play. It was just one pitch.”

Megill’s fastball velocity was up around 97 earlier in his outing. Maintaining velocity has been difficult, which has led to struggles with going deep into games.

However, Megill was able to get through the sixth inning, something he’s only done four other times this season. He hasn’t given up more than three earned runs since he returned from a Triple-A stint and he made his 30th start (24 in the Major Leagues, six in Triple-A). Injuries kept him to only nine last season and he came into the season aiming for 30.

“That’s big-time,” Megill said. “A full season of being healthy, making every start and pitching every fifth or sixth day and I’ve still got another one to finish to strong.”

The Mets took two runs off Taijuan Walker on five hits. The former Mets right-hander allowed a run in the first inning and another in the fifth. Walker also went six, allowing only five hits while walking one and striking out four.

Right-hander Phil Bickford gave up a run in the seventh to push the game further out of reach But Francisco Lindor hit his 27th home run of the season off left-hander Gregory Soto in the eighth inning to bring the Mets to within one.

That puts the shortstop three away from his first 30-homer, 30-steal season.