They may not be meaningful games, but the New York Mets have the National League's best record in September at 11-5 after winning the opener of their series in Philadelphia, 9-4, Monday night at Citizens Bank Park.
Michael Conforto drove in a career-high six runs in the win. It was the sixth time in club history a Mets hitter had at least six RBIs in a game versus the Phillies and the second time it happened this season. Here's a look at the other five times it happened:• Aug. 16, 2018: Mets 24 at Phillies 4 (Jose Bautista, 7)• June 2, 2014: Mets 11 at Phillies 2 (Wilmer Flores, 6)• Sept. 12, 2009: Mets 10 at Phillies 9 (David Wright, 6)• July 3, 2002: Mets 7 at Phillies 8 (Mike Piazza, 6)• Aug. 1, 1962: Phillies 11 at Mets 9 (Frank Thomas, 6)
On Sunday afternoon, the Mets lost the rubber game of their series with the Red Sox, 4-3, at Fenway Park.
The Mets had lost only one of their previous 11 series, dropping two of three to the Cubs at Wrigley Field at the end of August.
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Jacob deGrom and Boston starter Chris Sale both ended up with no-decisions Sunday. Sale came into the game with a 1.96 ERA, while deGrom began it at 1.71.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last time two starters with sub-2.00 ERAs and at least 100 innings pitched faced each other was on Sept. 11, 1985, when Dwight Gooden (1.74) faced the Cardinals' John Tudor (1.95) at Shea Stadium.
Neither Gooden nor Tudor allowed a run that night in a 1-0, 10-inning Mets loss.
On Saturday, the Mets lost to the Red Sox, 5-3, in Boston.
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Jeff McNeil's leadoff single in the top of the fourth and Brandon Nimmo's three-run homer four batters later were the only two Mets hits of the game.
It was the fifth time this season the Mets were held to two hits in a game:
• June 13: NYM 0 at Atl 2 (Mike Soroka and three relievers)• July 8: TB 9 at NYM 0 (Nathan Eovaldi and Andrew Kittredge)• July 9: Phi 3 at NYM 1 (Aaron Nola and two relievers)• Aug. 3: Atl 2 at NYM 1 (Anibal Sanchez and three relievers)• Sept. 15: NYM 3 at Bos 5 (Rick Porcello and four relievers)
In the series opener Friday night at Fenway, Noah Syndergaard pitched seven scoreless innings and the Mets hit four home runs in an 8-0 victory over the Red Sox.
The only other Mets shutout victory in Boston was on June 6, 1998, a 1-0 win with Bobby Jones, who went eight innings, and John Franco, who got the save, combining for a 1-0 win.
The four homers equaled the most the Mets ever hit in a game at Fenway Park. Alberto Castillo, John Olerud, Luis Lopez and Bernard Gilkey each hit home runs against Pedro Martinez in a 9-2 win in the first regular season meeting between the Mets and Red Sox in Boston on June 5, 1998.
On Thursday afternoon, the Mets completed a 5-2 homestand with a doubleheader sweep against the Marlins.
It was the Mets first sweep of a twinbill at home since Sept. 24, 2011, versus the Phillies.
Michael Conforto doubled, singled and drove in three runs in the nightcap. He hit .333 (10-for-30) with four homers, two doubles and 10 RBIs in seven games during the homestand.
Conforto and Todd Frazier hit back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the ninth to lift the Mets to a 4-3 comeback win over the Marlins in the first game of the doubleheader.
According to Elias, it was the first time in Mets history they hit a game-tying homer and a game-winning homer in consecutive at-bats when down to their last out in the ninth inning or later.
Steven Matz hit his first career home run in the win. The last Mets pitcher to homer was Seth Lugo on July 15, 2017, versus Colorado.
After a rain delay of over 5 1/2 hours Wednesday night, the Mets beat the Marlins 13-0 at Citi Field.
Zack Wheeler pitched eight shutout innings for the win, and Jay Bruce hit his second grand slam of the season in a seven-run sixth inning.
The Mets have hit eight grand slams in 2018, their most since hitting a franchise-record 10 in 2006.
Last Tuesday night, deGrom was the hard-luck loser again, allowing just two runs in seven innings in a 5-3 loss to Miami.
DeGrom struck out nine Marlins in the loss to equal his career season best with 239 K's for the second consecutive year.
He now has 490 combined strikeouts in 2017 and 2018, the highest total by a Met in back-to-back seasons since Dwight Gooden fanned 544 in 1984 and 1985.
Happy Recap: Three-Man McNeil. McNeil has had three or more hits in seven of his first 52 career games, the highest total in club history in that span.
Nine Miles of Rough Road: Eliminated. The Mets were officially eliminated from playoff contention Monday night after the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Atlanta Braves.
