The plate show: Phillies 2, Mets 1

Friday night’s game between the Mets and the Phillies had a playoff feel to it. And like most playoff games, this one featured excellent pitching, and a few pivotal close plays. Fortunately, the Phillies had a slight advantage in both those areas, giving them a 2-1 win.

Max Scherzer has given the Phillies plenty of trouble over the years, but early on Friday, it looked like things might be different. New leadoff man Bryson Stott led off with a double, Alec Bohm singled him home, and the Phillies seemed to be on their way to a big offensive night.

But that was all the damage they could manage against Scherzer. They accumulated a decent number of hits, but most were singles, and aside from Bohm’s, none came with runners in scoring position.

The good news is that the Phillies’ starting pitcher was even better. Ranger Suarez shut down the Mets’ offense, holding them to just three hits and one run in seven innings.

After the Mets managed a run in the second, the teams traded zeroes for the remainder of regulation. The Mets had a prime opportunity to win the game in the bottom of the ninth when Starling Marte led off with a double against Seranthony Dominguez. Marte made it to third base with one out, bringing Daniel Vogelbach to the plate.

Vogelbach hit the ball to Matt Vierling in left field, and Vierling made a defensive play that assuredly impressed Keith Hernandez:

In the top of the tenth, the Phillies similarly had a runner on third with one out. And once again, Marte was on the losing end of a play at the plate:

David Robertson (aided by a questionable strike three call) prevented the Mets’ ghost runner from scoring in the bottom of the inning, and the Phillies emerged victorious.

With both teams seemingly headed to the playoffs, it's possible that they might square off again in the postseason. If that happens, the Phillies know that they can not only beat the Mets in a close game, but they can go toe-to-toe with a top pitcher in doing so.