Mets win Game 1 of doubleheader against Phillies on Jonathan Villar’s walk-off in the eighth

Score this win as an extra-inning walk-off, even though the Mets celebrated in the eighth.

Thanks to Major League Baseball’s novel rules that limit doubleheader games to seven innings and place a runner on second base to start extra innings, Francisco Lindor took the bag with no outs and represented the tying run in the bottom of the eighth on Tuesday. Pete Alonso scored Lindor on an RBI single to center, flipped the script from an impending loss and set up the walk-off.

Jonathan Villar, the walk-off hero, ripped a one-out RBI single to left-center field as the Mets beat the Phillies, 4-3, in Game 1 of a seven-inning doubleheader on Tuesday. Lindor chased Villar around the bases before the rest of the team piled on top and celebrated in the center of the diamond.

Andrew McCutchen crossed home plate to give the Phillies a 3-2 lead in the top of the eighth after James McCann’s passed ball from Trevor May allowed runners to advance. McCann’s mistake almost cost the Amazin’s a loss before Alonso’s RBI single sparked a late rally. Jeff McNeil singled in the bottom of the eighth, Conforto drew a walk and McCann singled to bring Villar to the plate.

Dominic Smith crushed a two-run home run against Chase Anderson in the first inning. Through seven innings, Smith was one of only three Mets batters to get a hit against the Phillies and the only one to drive in runs until the game went to extras.

Game 1 became hostile for a moment in the sixth after Phillies lefthander Jose Alvarado threw a 100-mph fastball by Michael Conforto’s head. On the next pitch, Alvarado hit Conforto with another triple-digit heater that drilled the back of his right hand. The Mets dugout jawed at Alvarado and the Phillies. Smith pointed at his head and chirped at Alvarado from the bench, while the pitcher waved him off. Conforto gave Alvarado a long look and shook his head before he took first base.

Taijuan Walker pitched just 4.1 innings in Game 1 of the doubleheader, but his outing was solid enough to hold the Phillies bats to one run with help from reliever Miguel Castro.

Walker collected eight strikeouts across 80 pitches in his second start of the season Tuesday. He struck out the side in the third, including whiffs against leadoff hitter Andrew McCutchen and first baseman Rhys Hoskins. After he allowed a walk and single in the fourth, Francisco Lindor and Jeff McNeil helped Walker out with a sharp 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

But it wasn’t until the fifth inning when Mets manager Luis Rojas pulled his starter following back-to-back one-out walks. Miguel Castro polished off the fifth with a strikeout to McCutchen before he allowed a run to score in the sixth on a Jean Segura RBI infield single that tied the game at 2-2.