NEW YORK (AP) — Tylor Megill pitched a career-high 7 1/3 innings and tried out a splitter he learned from teammate Kodai Senga, helping the New York Mets beat the playoff-bound Philadelphia Phillies 4-3 in a doubleheader opener Saturday.
Taijuan Walker (15-6), in line to start a Game 3 of an NL Wild Card Series on Thursday, allowed four runs in the first two innings. then followed with five scoreless innings.
Megill (9-8), who started a five-pitcher no-hitter against the Phillies on April 29 last year, gave up singles to J.T. Realmuto in the fourth and sixth before singles by Weston Wilson and Jake Cave leading off the eighth. Cristian Pache flied out and Brooks Raley allowed a two-out RBI single Edmundo Sosa before striking out Bryce Harper with runners at second and third.
Megill, whose previous high was seven innings against the Yankees in September 2021, gave up four hits and struck out seven.
Adam Ottavino gave up Brandon Marsh’s RBI double and Weston Wilson’s run-scoring single. With Wilson at third base, Ottavino struck out Jake Cave and retiring Pache on a flyout for his 12th save in 15 chances.
Pete Alonso and Brett Baty each had RBIs in the first, when Francisco Lindor raced home on a wild pitch.
Walker finished the season with a 7.04 first-inning ERA — and a 3.81 ERA in the subsequent innings.
Omar Narváez homered leading off the second.
In the second game of a doubleheader caused by Friday's rainout, José Quintana (3-6, 3.39 ERA) was to start for the Mets. Michael Plassmeyer was to make his season debut for the Phillies.
PASSION PLAY
Daniel Murphy, who hit .529 with four homers during the 2015 NLCS and won MVP honors when the Mets swept the Chicago Cubs, threw out a ceremonial first pitch to his son Noah.
Murphy retired following the pandemic-shortened 2020 season but came back this year with the independent Long Island Ducks. He then played for the Los Angeles Angels' Triple-A Salt Lake team and hit .295 with one homer in 38 games before retiring again in August.
“I considered this adventure a bit of an experiment,” Murphy said. “And it was just ‘play’ — like my sons, like they do when they’re unsupervised. Just play. And it was great.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Phillies: RHP Dylan Covey (back) was placed on the 15-day injured list. Manager Rob Thomson said Covey could return if the team advances to the NL Championship Series. RHP Luis Ortiz was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Philadelphia also recalled INF/OF Weston Wilson from Lehigh Valley and optioned IF Rodolfo Castro to its spring training complex.
Mets: CF Brandon Nimmo (UC joint in right shoulder) was placed on the 10-day injured list. Nimmo, who was hurt trying to make a diving catch Thursday night, said might have been able to avoid the IL if there was more time left in the season and that 10 to 14 days of rest should heal the injury. New York recalled C Michael Pérez from Triple-A Syracuse.
UP NEXT
The teams conclude the regular season Sunday, when the Mets send RHP José Butto (1-3, 3.75) to the mound against Phillies RHP Nick Nelson, who will make his season debut.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
