Delgado’s RBI Double Lifts Mets Past Phillies to 1st Place
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For seven innings, lefties Jamie Moyer and Oliver Perez engaged in as fine a pitching duel as one would want to see. But in the eighth, while the Phillies enemic offense blew a bases loaded scoring opportunity, the Mets capitalized on their 2 on, 2 out situation as 1st baseman Carlos Delgado pounded a 2 run double off of lefthanded reliever J.C. Romero to win the series final by a 3-1 score.
With the win, the Mets climbed over the Phillies into 1st place by a full game in the NL East. The 3rd place Florida Marlins, who are 1 1/2 games back, play an evening game with the Chicago Cubs* and 4th place Atlanta, 6 1/2 back has the day off.
Starting the game, Moyer retired 8 of the first 9 Mets he faced before issuing a third inning 2 out walk to shortstop Jose Reyes. Reyes stole 2nd base and Moyer walked leftfielder Nick Evans. 3rd baseman David Wright put the Mets on the board with a leftfield double. Moyer got Delgado on an infield grounder to 2nd base to end the inning.
Meanwhile, the Phillies got a hit in each of the 1st 3 innings, but Perez struck out 5 during the same span. Perez went on to retire the next 9 of 10 Phillies through the sixth inning.
The veteran 45 year old Moyer, who threw 91 pitches only allowing 1 run on 2 hits while walking 3 and striking out 5, was not to be outdone retiring 12 of 13 Mets between the fourth and seventh innings
The Mets’ lead held up until rightfielder Jayson Werth opened the seventh by solving Perez with a solo homer to centerfield to tie the game. Perez then retired the next 3 Phillies to end the inning.
Perez, who threw 108 pitches allowing only 1 run on 6 hits while walking 1 and striking out 12 through 7 2/3 innings, suffered his first jam in the eighth inning. Shortstop Eric Bruntlett, subbing for Jimmy Rollins who was scratched from the lineup 15 minutes before game-time, slammed a 1 out double to leftfield. Bruntlett, by the way, was 3 for 4 for the game and the most productive Phillie offensively beside Werth. Leftfielder Pat Burrell, batting 3rd today, was intentionally walked and 1st baseman Ryan Howard was hit by a pitch to fill the bases.
Philly.com’s Todd Zolecki reports that Rollins was benched due to tardy arrival at the ballpark.
Met manager Jerry Manuel lifted Perez for reliever Aaron Heilman. Rightfielder Werth, with a game-winning opportunity, slammed a solid drive to deep centerfield off of Heilman which Carlos Beltran snared for the final out of the eighth.
The Mets didn’t miss out on their chance in the eighth against lefthander Romero who replaced Moyer. Pinch hitter Robinson Cancel opened with a single to leftfield. Reyes sacrificed Cancel to 2nd base. With 2 outs, Wright was intentionally walked. With 2 outs, Delgado doubled to left driving in 2 runs before getting nailed off of 2nd base on the play to retire the side.
Closer Billy Wagner came on in the ninth inning to close the door on the Phils for the 2nd straight night on 8 pitches to earn his 25th save of the season. Neither starter figured in the final decision as Heilman was credited with the win while Romero was charged with the loss.
For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on Thursday’s games, click here.
*Update: 3rd place Florida fell to 2 games off the pace as the Chicago Cubs finally beat them after having previously dropped 10 in a row to the Marlins.
The Phillies leave New York for brief 3 game series at home against the Atlanta Braves before hitting the road again.
Kyle Kendrick hopes to break the Phils’ skid of the last two games in opening the Braves series on Friday opposing Jair Jurrjens who lost in his only other start against the Phils this season. On Saturday, ace Cole Hamels is opposed by another lefthander, Jo-Jo Reyes who has had a dismal season, due mostly to lack of offensive support although he was pounded for 6 runs in 2 1/3 innings in his last start.
For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on Friday’s and Saturday’s games, click here and here.
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