Mets Continue Phils' Misery
Flushing, NY (Sports Network) - Jose Reyes hit his first home run in more than a year and finished with two runs batted in, as the New York Mets shut out the Philadelphia Phillies for the second consecutive game, 5-0, at Citi Field.
Reyes last homered on May 7, 2009 but landed on the disabled list later that month and missed the rest of the season. The shortstop had not homered in 42 previous games this year.
Rod Barajas added a two-run double and finished with three runs batted in for the Mets, who won the opener of this three-game series on Tuesday, 8-0, behind six shutout innings by starter R.A. Dickey. Wednesday, Hisanori Takahashi (4- 1) threw six shutout frames, giving up just five hits without walking a batter in his second career start. He also struck out six to take the win, New York's fourth in a row.
Joe Blanton (1-3) took the loss after giving up five runs in 5 1/3 innings, but he also received no run support, as the Phillies' offense continued to struggle.
Philadelphia has been shut out in three of the last four games and has scored in just one of the last 36 innings. The Phillies have also not scored off an opposing starter for the last four games. The only runs they've tallied over that span are three runs in the ninth inning of Sunday's 8-3 loss to Boston.
Wednesday, Takahashi allowed one baserunner over the first three innings. Ben Francisco doubled with two outs in the second, but Takahashi fanned Wilson Valdez to end the threat.
The Mets got their first run in the bottom half. Ike Davis led off with a double to center, then moved to third two batters later on a single through the right side from Angel Pagan. Barajas then lofted a sacrifice fly to left for a 1-0 lead.
Reyes led off the third with his homer, as he hit a low slider over the wall in right-center.
Takahashi kept the Phillies off the scoreboard over the middle innings to keep the Mets in the lead. Philadelphia's best chance came in the sixth inning, which Shane Victorino began with a base hit. He moved to second on a groundout, but was held at third when Chase Utley followed with a base hit to right. Ryan Howard then struck out, and Jayson Werth flied out to right.
The Mets took control by scoring three runs in the bottom half. After David Wright doubled and Pagan singled to start, Barajas pulled an inside pitch at his knees down the left field line for a double. It plated both runners for a 4-0 lead, and Reyes' RBI single later in the inning off reliever Chad Durbin made it a five-run game.
Jenrry Mejia, Ryota Igarashi and Fernando Nieve threw the seventh, eighth and ninth innings, respectively.
Game Notes
The Phillies had not been shutout in consecutive games since August 7-8, 2008, when the Marlins and Pirates did so...Takahashi also threw six shutout innings in his first career major league start, which came last Friday against the Yankees...Blanton gave up six hits and walked four.
