Phils' bullpen holds Mets as bats rally late

PHILADELPHIA – Not everybody understood why the Mets pulled Jacob deGrom so early Monday night at Citizens Bank Park.

Mets manager Luis Rojas said before the Phillies’ 5-3 comeback victory that deGrom could throw 100 pitches, but he pulled his ace after 77 pitches in six scoreless innings. deGrom’s 77th pitch suggested he could have continued: a 100.1 mph fastball to strike out Bryce Harper.

Rojas’ decision provided some unexpected late-inning intrigue, in part because the Phillies’ bullpen continued its early-season statement by putting up zeros. If this were last season and the Phillies’ starter lasted just 3 1/3 innings, like left-hander Matt Moore did on Monday, there is a decent chance the Phillies’ 2-0 deficit would have turned into something unmanageable.

But Brandon Kintzler managed it.

Then Sam Coonrod did. Then Connor Brogdon.

The trio pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings to set up the Phillies’ five-run eighth inning to take a three-run lead as the Phillies improved to 4-0.

“I think with this offense, you know it’s early,” Kintzler said. “If it turns into four or five with deGrom on the mound, the game is pretty much over.”

Phillies manager Joe Girardi summoned Kintzler from the bullpen with the bases loaded and one out in the fourth. Moore retired the first seven batters he faced in his Phillies’ debut. He struck out four. But he walked a pair of batters in the third inning and two more to start the fourth. The Mets scored twice in the inning and had a chance to blow open the game when Kintzler made his Phillies’ debut.

But Kintzler got Kevin Pillar to ground into an inning-ending double play.

“It changes the whole complexion,” Girardi said. “He’s used to being a closer and coming in tough situations and in a sense that was the biggest situation in the game. You may not always think that in the fourth inning, but it turned to probably be the biggest situation in the game.”

The Phillies couldn’t believe their good fortune when deGrom left the game. He threw 59 fastballs that averaged 99.1 mph. He threw 11 that touched 100 mph.

But then – poof – he was gone.

deGrom explained afterward that he knew he might be pulled after six because he had not faced hitters in 10 days. The Phillies didn’t know the reason why. They just knew he was throwing really, really well and they got to face the Mets’ bullpen the rest of the way.

“I mean, we were happy as a team, of course, getting one of the best pitchers -- if not the best pitcher in the entire world -- out of the game,” Harper said.

Mets right-hander Trevor May allowed a one-out single in the eighth to pinch-hitter Brad Miller, walked Andrew McCutchen and allowed a single to Rhys Hoskins to load the bases. Left-hander Aaron Loup entered the game to face Harper, but he hit him with his second pitch to score the Phillies’ first run. J.T. Realmuto’s single to left scored McCutchen to tie the game. Then Alec Bohm hit a ground ball to Mets third baseman Luis Guillorme.

Guillorme threw home for the forceout, but catcher James McCann could not hold onto the ball. Hoskins and Harper scored on the play to give the Phillies a 4-2 lead.

Phillies left-hander José Alvarado allowed a run in the ninth to snap the bullpen’s scoreless streak at 12 innings, but he picked up the save. It was a fun game for Phillies fans not used to seeing games like this over the past several years. They definitely did not see games like this last season.

But this bullpen is different. It gives Harper, Hoskins, Realmuto and the others a chance.

“We’re coming out attack mode,” Kintzler said. “I think that fires position players up because they know how hard it is to hit relievers in attack mode. We all know any big loss in the ninth or any big deficit in the fourth or fifth is deflating for everybody. So the fact we can come in and attack and put up some zeros, and all of a sudden we get some momentum, a little bit at a time each inning -- you saw -- it puts pressure on the other team. For this offense, if we can keep doing that throughout the year, I think we’re going to win a lot of games.”