Amazin's sweep Phightins'

Game 1 at Shea Stadium

 

Mets 7 Phillies 3

 

Mike Hampton pitched 8 strong innings, striking out 8, to get his first win of the season (1-3). JA Happ took the loss (0-3). Phils led 3-0 going to the 6^th when Mike Piazza singled in a run. Then in the 7^th the roof caved in on Happ and the Phils bullpen (Chad Durbin) as the Mets scored 6 runs on 7 hits and a walk. Jay Payton had the big blow – a 2 run HR to tie the score. Then Mike Bordick doubled in a run and Edgardo Alfonzo doubled in two more before Benny Agbayani finished the scoring with an RBI single.

Game 2 at Shea Stadium

 

Mets 2 Phillies 1

 

Al Leiter was sensational, pitching a complete game 2 hitter with 12 strikeouts to even his record to 2-2. He outpitched Jamie Moyer (3-1) who also pitched a complete game in defeat. Meyer was victimized by two solo HRs – by Mike Piazza in the 4^th to tie the game at 1-1 and then Todd Zeile in the 7^th for what proved to be the winning run. The Phils had taken a 1-0 lead in the 4^th on a solo bomb by Chase Utley.

Game 3 at Citizens Bank Park  1G of DH

 

Mets 4  Phillies 2

 

The Mets come from behind again as Piazza singles in the 6^th to make it 2-1 Phils and then ties it in the 8^th with a solo HR (5). Robin Ventura then shocks the Philadelphia crowd with a 2 run HR for what proved to be the game winner as the Phillies bullpen implodes again. Reliever Tyler Walker (0-2) gave up both HRs, blowing a save opportunity and converting it into a loss. Joe Blanton had pitched a solid game allowing only 1 run over 7 innings but he tired in the 8^th, and after Scott Eyre retired the first batter in the frame, Walker came in and that was the story.

 

Glendon Rusch pitched 6 solid innings for the Mets before three relievers took over, holding the Phillies to 1 hit and 0 runs over three innings. John Franco, the first of the relievers, got the win (2-0). Armando  Benitez got the save as he struck out the side in the bottom of the 9^th, for his 3^rd save of the year

Game 4 at Citizens Bank Park 2G of DH

 

Mets 7 Phillies 1

 

Once again the Phils pitching fails them late in the game. The Mets took a 2-0 lead, against Phils ace Cliff Lee, after two. Mike Piazza drove in a run with a sac fly and Zeile hit another HR (6). The Phils got on the board against Rick Reed in the 6^th when Jayson Werth hit a solo HR (6). Trailing 2-1 in the 8^th, and with Lee still on the mound, the Mets exploded for 5 runs on 5 hits, 2 walks and a huge error by the usually reliable Shane Victorino in CF. Victorino dropped a fly ball from Derek Bell allowing a run to score making it 3-1. Then the floodgates opened as Bordick singled in a run, Alfonzo doubled in two more and Zeile hit a sac fly to make it 7-1. All the runs were charged to Lee, who allowed 5 earned runs in the game.

Rick Reed pitched 7 1/3 strong innings to even his record at 1-1. Turk Wendell finished up.

 

With the sweep, the suddenly surging Mets are 11-10 as they try to catch 53 Brooklyn and 96 Atlanta in the East. The Phils drop to 8-13. Next up: the Mets play 58 Milwaukee while the Phillies play 2001 Arizona

 

--submitted by A.Raylesberg--