Probably should have tweeted this instead of texting my dad…but instead of putting it on social media I then went and texted my friends.

The nice thing about this NLDS is the start times are such that I can probably write something after every game without staying up too late.

I have a feeling I’ll be staying up plenty late Tuesday night and not writing…but that’ll be a different story.

I will never really understand it, but I certainly now know to expect it:

Sometimes the Mets don’t really get that offense going until late in the game.

This game is a little different because Zack Wheeler was so good for 7 innings…but we’ve seen similar games before.

The Mets have done the exact same thing against far lesser starters.

Today, though, the story was what the Mets did against the Phillies bullpen.

The funny thing about the top of the 8th inning Saturday is it followed a similar script to the top of the 5th inning Tuesday:

In that game Pat Murphy brought in the left-handed reliever Aaron Ashby to face Brandon Nimmo with 2 outs, and runners on first and second. Jose Iglesias had just singled to tie the game at 4. Managers keep bringing in lefties to face Nimmo, and he often hits them. It seems like a dumb move to me.

Because in that situation you’re putting a lot of pressure on Ashby to get the lefty and end the inning…and he didn’t. Nimmo grounded a single to deep short, loading the bases. Which meant Ashby now has to face righties.

Mark Vientos (a righty who’s most certainly salivating at the idea of facing a lefty) hit a 2-run single. Ashby intentionally walked Alonso (which was probably smart), and then he was done. After the pitching change J.D. Martinez hit a 2-run single, making it 8-4. The Mets would win 8-4.

So, back to Saturday:

Wheeler comes out. Jeff Hoffman comes in. Francisco Alvarez singles, Francisco Lindor walks, and then Mark Vientos has an RBI single to tie the game at 1. That’s a righty against all righties. But what happens next:

They bring in Matt Strahm, a lefty, to face Brandon Nimmo. Strahm has been getting guys out from both sides of the plate all year (Hoffman and Strahm have been great out of the Phillies bullpen, it should be noted), but immediately it felt like this was advantage Mets. (See my text above.) Nimmo singled to put the Mets up 2-1. Then it’s Alonso (sac fly), Iglesias (single after a long, great at-bat), and no doubt J.D. Martinez pinch hitting for Jesse Winker.

OK, you get the idea. The Mets ended up getting 5 runs, and I just think this all illustrates how deep they are and tough to match up against.

And then there’s the pitching,

I have not been writing about the pitching enough. I am almost taking it for granted.

I barely mentioned Jose Quintana in an outstanding effort in Game 3 against the Brewers. I apologize.

So let me not overlook David Peterson and Reed Garrett’s efforts Saturday. (And Phil Maton and Ryne Stanek finishing the job. Nice bounce back outing for Maton.)

And what a pleasant surprise it was on Friday to hear that Kodai Senga would be getting the Game 1 start.

He gave up the leadoff homer to Kyle Schwarber, and other than that he looked like Kodai Senga, getting plenty of chases on the forkball in two innings of work.

It’s ideal if the Mets don’t need Senga again because it’s a quick series. But I suspect he’ll play a larger role than those first two innings - the Mets are not wasting a roster spot for this series on a pitcher they’ll barely use.

OK. Let’s do it again tomorrow.

Closing thoughts: Carlos Mendoza is a genius. Major League Baseball has a huge umpiring problem. I love the Mets.

Let’s Go Mets.