The opening game of the Major League Baseball London Series saw the Philadelphia Phillies defeat the New York Mets 7-2 at London Stadium. The Phillies won the game with a strong performance in the fourth inning, scoring six runs to take the lead. Mets’ starting pitcher Sean Manaea was unable to contain the Phillies’ offense and was eventually pulled from the game.
Phillies’ first baseman Harper played a key role in the victory, hitting a solo home run in the fourth inning. His celebration included a knee slide that energized the team and the fans. Whit Merrifield also had a big hit with a three-run homer, while Edmundo Sosa and Kyle Schwarber contributed with key singles to extend the lead to 6-1.
Mets’ manager Carlos Mendoza made the decision to replace Manaea with reliever Sean Reid-Foley, who managed to stop further damage but couldn’t spark a comeback for the Mets. The win for the Phillies was their seventh in eight games, while the Mets’ three-game winning streak came to an end.
This London Series is the third time MLB teams have played in London, following previous matchups between the New York Yankees and Chicago Red Sox in 2019 and the Chicago Cubs and St Louis Cardinals in 2023. The Mets were designated as the home team for this game, and actor Matthew Broderick threw the ceremonial first pitch before the game.
Both teams will face each other again at London Stadium for the second game of the series on Sunday, with the Phillies this time being the “home” team. Fans can expect another exciting matchup between these two talented teams in this unique international baseball series.