PHILADELPHIA -- The [tower of bamboo in the middle of the clubhouse](https://www.mlb.com/cut4/phillies-lucky-bamboo-turned-season-around \"undefined\") is not why the Phillies swept the Mets this week in a four-game series at Citizens Bank Park, but even the most skeptical players know they cannot tempt fate.\n\nIt is why they are bringing some bamboo on the road.\n\nThe Phillies beat the Mets in dramatic fashion on Thursday afternoon, 6-3. New York scored three runs in the ninth inning against Philadelphia closer
“I believe in God,” Segura said, when asked if he believes in good-luck bamboo plants. “But whatever it takes for us to keep the momentum going and to keep the energy level up. If the bamboo is working, keep it in our locker room.”\n\n• [Box score](https://www.mlb.com/gameday/567102/final/box)\n\nThe ninth-inning heroics from Franco and Segura helped the Phillies reach the halfway point of their season at 43-38. If they replicate that record in the second half, they are unlikely to make the postseason. But the Phils believe they will be better. They get a chance to prove that beginning Friday night in Miami, where they open a nine-game road trip before the All-Star break. Philadelphia does not play at home again until July 12.
“We’re excited about the second half,” Phillies first baseman
\n\nHarper is batting .246 with 14 home runs, 55 RBIs and an .828 OPS. Nola is 6-2 with a 4.22 ERA in 17 starts.\n\n“Not so great, kind of up and down,” Nola said about the team’s first half. “Lately, it’s been better. It’s been a little harder for me. As a team, we hit a rough spot, but I think we’re jumping back up. It’s not easy to stay at the top, so it’s always going to be a grind. Every game matters right now until the end of the year.”
An argument can be made that the Phillies have not clicked yet, if you believe in the talent in the lineup and that a healthier pitching staff will improve its performance. The Phils built a talented high-powered lineup in the offseason, but it has not produced on a consistent basis. They entered Thursday 10th in the NL in batting average (.244), eighth in on-base percentage (.323), 10th in slugging percentage (.421), ninth in OPS (.744), 10th in [wRC+](http://m.mlb.com/glossary/advanced-stats/weighted-runs-created-plus \"undefined\") (93) and eighth in [expected weighted on-base average](http://m.mlb.com/glossary/statcast/expected-woba \"undefined\") (.320).\n\nThe Phillies’ bullpen has suffered a rash of injuries, with
\n\n“The one thing we’ve missed a little bit is consistency,” Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said. “I think we’re a talented club from top to bottom. I think we have arms. We have strong arms. We’ve got a lineup that’s deep. We just need to put it together more consistently.”\n\n“My good friend