Aaron Nola pitches complete game shutout as Phillies beat struggling Mets 4-0

The Mets came into their second game of the week against the Philadelphia Phillies owning the league’s highest walk rate. Right-hander Jose Butto, while effective, did little to lower that number.

Butto issued five free passes over five innings, with a 41-pitch third inning costing him two runs in the Mets’ 4-0 loss to the Phillies on Tuesday afternoon at Citi Field. Meanwhile, Phillies ace Aaron Nola pitched a complete game shutout using 109 pitches.

The two runs allowed by Butto (1-3) came on only one hit. He walked four hitters, hit one and struck out four over five innings. A single and two walks loaded the bases with two outs in the third, but control eluded Butto as he struggled to get that third out. Butto hit Alec Bohm to bring in a run and walked Brandon Marsh to bring in another.

Butto then settled down and retired the next seven straight, but at 97 pitches through five innings, he was unable to give the Mets the length the bullpen needed.

It didn’t get much easier from there. Right-hander Yohan Ramirez pitched the fifth and put the first two runners on with singles. A wild pitch advanced them to second and third before he retired the next three in order. Left-hander Jake Diekman came out for the seventh and got the first out, but walked the next two. He picked off Kyle Schwarber at second base but then walked Bryson Stott.

The Mets (19-22) went to Jorge Lopez for the second day in a row and the 21st time this season to get the third out. Lopez’s 21 appearances is tied for the third-most in the league.

Diekman came off the field and angrily tossed his glove at the dugout wall, echoing the frustration of the rest of the team.

Nola (5-2) took a perfect game into the sixth inning. He needed only three pitches to get out of the seventh inning. Starling Marte singled on the first pitch, Francisco Lindor lined one right to Kody Clemens at second base on the next pitch, and Pete Alonso grounded into a double play on the last one.

Alonso and Lindor crushed those pitches but couldn’t find any holes.

Sean Reid-Foley allowed his first two earned runs to cross in the ninth. Pitching for the second day in a row, the right-hander got the first out before facing the top of the order. He gave up three straight singles and a double before getting the final two outs, giving the Phillies (30-13) a 4-0 lead that Nola effectively protected.

The Mets put runners on the corners in the bottom of the ninth but Lindor popped up Nola’s 109th pitch for the final out. He allowed four hits and struck out eight, issuing not a single walk in his sixth career complete game and fourth career shutout.

The series shifts to Citizens Bank Park for the next two games, with the Mets embarking on an eight-game road trip through Philadelphia, Miami and Cleveland. They’ve lost four of their last five games, all against NL East opponents.