Phillies Sweep Mets as Kemp, Luzardo Shine
PHILADELPHIA — Otto Kemp powered the Phillies with a home run and three RBIs on Thursday, helping Philadelphia (87-60) complete a four-game sweep of the New York Mets. The win cut the Phillies’ magic number to five to clinch the National League East.
For the Mets (76-71), the skid continued with their sixth straight loss, leaving them clinging to a slim 1 1/2-game lead over the San Francisco Giants and Cincinnati Reds for the final NL wild-card spot.
Jesús Luzardo (14-6) dazzled on the mound, striking out 10 without issuing a walk over eight strong innings. All four runs he allowed came in the first inning, giving up five hits before settling into complete dominance. Jhoan Duran then slammed the door in the ninth, fanning Juan Soto, Pete Alonso, and Mark Vientos for his 29th save.
New York starter David Peterson (5 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, 8 K, 1 BB) opened with promise. Vientos and Brandon Nimmo each drove in runs before Starling Marte capped a four-run first with a two-run double. But the Mets’ bats went silent after that.
Philadelphia chipped away, beginning with Kemp’s two-run blast in the fourth. Bryce Harper’s RBI double in the fifth cut the deficit to one, and the Phillies broke through in the sixth. Kemp doubled home the tying run, then Harrison Bader pushed Philadelphia ahead 5-4 with a clutch single.
The rally continued when reliever Brooks Raley walked Kyle Schwarber and yielded an infield RBI hit to Harper, giving the Phillies insurance in a 6-4 victory.
The sweep tightened Philadelphia’s grip on the division while pushing New York further into danger in the wild-card race.
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