Velasquez Beats Mets 1-0 In Debut, Giving Phillies 1st Win
NEW YORK (AP) — Vince Velasquez struck out a career-high nine over six innings in his Philadelphia debut, Ryan Howard homered off Bartolo Colon and the Phillies beat the New York Mets 1-0 on a chilly Saturday night for their first win this season.
Velasquez (1-0), a 23-year-old right-hander acquired in the seven-player offseason deal that sent closer Ken Giles to Houston, struggled through a 26-pitch first inning but retired Neil Walker on an inning-ending flyout with two on. New York didn't put two runners on in an inning after that.
Velasquez made seven starts and 12 relief appearances as a rookie last year. Helping the rebuilding Phillies avoid what would have been their first 0-5 start since 1934, he gave up three hits and three walks.
Hector Neris, Daniel Stumpf, David Hernandez and Jeanmar Gomez combined for hitless relief, sealing just the second win for the Phillies in their last 12 games at Citi Field. Gomez got three outs for his second career save, his first since July 2014 with Pittsburgh.
Pitching in short sleeves and without an undershirt on a 41-degree night, the 42-year-old Colon (0-1) allowed five hits in six innings, walked none and struck out seven — including six looking. His fastball reached up to 92 mph.
When Freddy Galvis bunted leading off the sixth, Colon ran off the mound — more like a laboring bear than a sprinting cat — and made an over-to-shoulder grab halfway to the dirt between first and second as his cap fell off and the crowd roared. An inning earlier, his helmet spun off as he swung and missed at a Velasquez pitch.
Howard's home run, on an 88 mph pitch, went to the opposite field and cleared the original 16-foot green wall in left.
Howard's homer was his 45th against the Mets, the most among active players, and the first off New York this season.
New York had a chance in the seventh after Neris walked pinch-hitter Alejandro De Aza with two outs. De Aza stole second as Howard bobbled the pickoff throw to first. Stumpf relieved, and Curtis Granderson hit a liner that right fielder Peter Bourjos slid to catch in the alley.
Philadelphia wasted an opportunity in the ninth, when it had runners at the corners with one out. Maikel Franco hit a slow roller to third and Wilmer Flores bounced the throw to first, but Cesar Hernandez didn't start down the third-base line.
Jeurys Familia struck out Howard and got Cameron Rupp to ground into a forceout.
Yoenis Cespedes, re-signed to a $75 million, three-year contract, was booed when he struck out in the eighth, completing an 0-for-4 night with three strikeouts. Cespedes is 2 for 16 (.125) with no RBIs and seven strikeouts.
THAT WAS FAST
The Columbia Fireflies, the Mets' new team in the Class A South Atlantic League, pitched a no-hitter Saturday in the third game in team history, with Thomas McIlraith (six innings), Alex Palsja (two) and Johnny Magliozzi (one) combining to beat the Charleston RiverDogs. The team had been the Savannah Sand Gnats from 1995-15.
TEMPORARY CLOSURE
The Jackie Robinson Rotunda behind home plate was closed briefly as a precaution before gametime when a light blew out. The Mets said no one was hurt.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Phillies: Franco was back in the starting lineup after missing Friday's game. He was hit near the left elbow by a 92 mph pitch from Cincinnati's Ross Ohlendorf in the ninth inning Thursday.
Mets: RHP Jacob deGrom was still bothered by a sore muscle in his right side. Depending on how he feels on his throw day Sunday, he might miss his next turn in New York's rotation, on Wednesday. DeGrom's fastball averaged 92 mph Friday, down 3 mph from last year. ... 3B David Wright was given the night off as the Mets take precautions because of the spinal stenosis that sidelined him for much of last season.
UP NEXT
Matt Harvey (0-1), who lost last weekend's opener at Kansas City, starts for New York in Sunday's series finale against Jeremy Hellickson (0-0). Hellickson allowed one run — not earned — over six innings in the Phillies' opening loss at Cincinnati.
(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
