PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies returned from the All-Star break Thursday night with a chance to carry the energy of baseball’s showcase week into the second half of their season.
Instead, their offense remained on break.
Philadelphia produced only four hits, wasted its few scoring opportunities and watched Aaron Nola’s otherwise encouraging start unravel in the seventh inning of a 4-1 loss to the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park.
Francisco Alvarez homered twice and Brett Baty added another home run for New York, which improved to 41-57 despite beginning the night in last place in the National League East.
The Phillies fell to 54-44 and moved 2½ games behind first-place Atlanta.
The game began at 6:10 p.m., one hour earlier than originally scheduled because of concerns about deteriorating air quality from wildfire smoke. A haze hung over the ballpark and became more noticeable as the evening progressed.
The conditions provided an unusual backdrop, but the Phillies’ greater problem was Mets right-hander Christian Scott.
Scott allowed three hits over 5⅔ scoreless innings, struck out seven and did not issue a walk. He consistently stayed ahead of Philadelphia’s hitters and kept the Phillies from producing the sustained pressure needed to overcome an early deficit.
J.T. Realmuto singled to open the third inning but did not advance. Bryce Harper doubled with one out in the fourth, only for Brandon Marsh and Alec Bohm to make consecutive outs.
The Phillies’ best opportunity came in the sixth.
Kyle Schwarber drove a curveball toward the right-field seats, but the ball struck the railing at the top of the wall and returned to the field. After a replay review, Schwarber was awarded a double rather than a home run.
Scott departed after walking Harper with two outs. Brooks Raley replaced him and struck out Marsh, leaving two runners stranded and preserving New York’s 1-0 lead.
Philadelphia finished 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and did not record a hit with a runner on base.
Nola gave the Phillies an opportunity through six innings.
Alvarez opened the scoring in the third when Nola left a slider over the plate, but the right-hander avoided further damage. His most important escape came in the fifth after the Mets loaded the bases with nobody out.
A.J. Ewing lined into a double play, Nola intentionally walked Juan Soto and then retired Bo Bichette on a fly ball to keep the deficit at one.
Nola completed the sixth at 90 pitches and returned for the seventh. That decision quickly changed the game.
Baty drove Nola’s first pitch of the inning over the right-center-field wall. Alvarez followed by sending a 2-2 sinker into the left-field seats for his second homer of the night.
The back-to-back home runs turned a manageable 1-0 game into a three-run deficit before the Phillies recorded an out in the inning.
Nola was charged with three runs on six hits and four walks over six-plus innings. He struck out six but allowed three home runs, continuing a season-long problem with keeping the ball in the park.
He fell to 3-7 with a 5.68 ERA.
Trea Turner provided Philadelphia’s only run when he homered off Luke Weaver with two outs in the eighth. The solo shot briefly brought the Phillies within two, but New York answered in the ninth when Ewing doubled home Jared Young against Seth Johnson.
Devin Williams retired the Phillies in order in the bottom of the inning, recording his 14th save of the season and the 100th of his career.
The loss was a flat beginning to an important second half for a Phillies club attempting to chase down Atlanta and secure another postseason appearance.
Philadelphia received six solid innings from Nola and placed runners in scoring position against Scott. Neither advantage became enough.
The Phillies spent All-Star Week helping Philadelphia celebrate baseball.
On Thursday, they were reminded how quickly the season demands their attention again.
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