Colon Strong Again as Mets Make it 10 Straight Over Phils

By: Paul DiSclafani

Rich Shultz / GETTY Images

Just when it looked like Bartolo Colon had hit the wall in June, he has had a resurgence of sorts, making a push to stay in the Mets plans for a possible post-season run. Colon (12-11) threw 8 shutout innings as the First Place Mets (73-58) beat the Phillies, 3-1.

With young studs like Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard already in the rotation, Jonathan Niese the only lefty and Steven Matz on the horizon, where does that leave the 42 year-old Colon if the Mets do make the playoffs?

After a 9-4 start to the season, Colon went into a miserable 10-game stretch, losing 7 straight decisions. In Colorado on August 21, he got a no-decision in a game the Mets eventually won 14-9, giving up 7 earned runs in less than 4 innings. But that good fortune may have turned his season around.

Colon went seven shutout innings in his next start against the Phillies (5 H, 8 K) and followed that up with tonight’s gem – 8 shutout innings, 4 hits and 9 strikeouts. Colon now has 16 consecutive shutout innings.  Last week against the Phillies, he became the first 42 year-old pitcher to strike out the side late in a game (the seventh inning) in 25 years. Then he did the same thing tonight, striking out the side in the seventh.

But the Mets seemed uninterested against Phillies starter Jerad Eickhoff (L, 1-2) until rookie Michael Conforto hit his fourth HR in the fifth inning, giving the Mets the lead. Maybe it was the camo-uniforms and the crowd couldn’t see them?

Colon followed with a single, a personal record with seven hits in a season. But on a hot, humid night, is it a good idea to have the rotund Colon running the bases? Curtis Granderson made it a moot point crushing his 23^rd home run, trotting behind Colon for 3-0 Mets lead.

Jeurys Familia came on in the ninth and after getting into trouble, got Jeff Francouer to hit into a DP and struck out Andres Blanco on a 99 mph heater for his 36^th save.

Two more with Philadelphia before a day off on Thursday with Niese (8-9) against 14-game loser, Aaron Harang (5-14) tomorrow night.

Thanks to the Cardinals rally against the Nationals, combined with the Mets win, the Mets Magic Number to clinch the NL East is reduced to 27.

POSITIVES: Mets had 20 wins in August (20-8) for the first time in 15 years (2000), the year they went to the World Series with the Yankees (don’t ask) … Mets have won 10 straight against the Phils (13-1 for the season, 7-0 at home) and have won 24 of last 29 games against them … Colon is a life-time 9-1 against the Phils since joining the Mets … Mets hit 45 home runs in August, a team record …

NEGATIVES: Lucas Duda still has not been cleared for baseball activities. He’s not going to be ready to come off the DL on Sunday … Mets had only four hits all night, three in the 3-run fifth.