Phillies Fall To Mets After Break, 5-3
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Neil Walker hit a three-run home run and Juan Lagares also went deep to lead the New York Mets to a 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night.
Asdrubal Cabrera had three hits for the Mets, who opened the second half of the season by snapping a three-game losing streak. New York won without All-Star outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, who missed his third straight game with a right quad strain.
Peter Bourjos had an RBI triple for Philadelphia, which had won 10 of 13 prior to the break.
Bartolo Colon (8-4), one of four Mets chosen for the All-Star game, started out sensational before a rocky sixth inning ended his night early.
Jeurys Familia pitched a scoreless ninth for his 32nd save while extending his club record for consecutive saves to 48, dating back to last Aug. 1. Mets manager Terry Collins, who managed the NL All-Star team, didn't call on his closer to pitch in Tuesday's All-Star game.
Jeremy Hellickson (6-7) was roughed up for four runs and seven hits in six innings.
New York, which entered second in the NL in home runs, upped its season total to 124. The Mets are particularly fond of Citizens Bank Park, where they have cleared the fences 14 times in four games this season.
Colon was perfect through 4 1/3 innings until Cameron Rupp's one-out single to center. Colon was still rolling along with one out in the sixth when first baseman James Loney went to his right for a nifty stop of Odubel Herrera's grounder. Loney's throw to Colon, who was covering first, went over the pitcher's head. Loney was charged with an error although it looked as if Colon should have made the catch.
The Phillies capitalized by scoring three unearned runs in the frame on Bourjos' triple, Maikel Franco's groundout and Cody Asche's single.
Colon departed with two outs in the inning and ended up allowing three unearned runs on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts. The 43-year-old right-hander is 5-1 with a 2.56 ERA in his last 10 starts.
Lagares led off the third by hitting the first pitch over the fence in left-center for his third homer of the season, giving the Mets a 1-0 lead.
New York went in front 4-0 in the sixth on Walker's three-run homer. It was the 16th homer of the season for the Mets' second baseman, tying his mark for all of last season. The homer drew loud cheers from the large contingent of Mets fans, who made Citizens Bank Park sound more like Citi Field at times with their chants of "Let's go Mets! Let's go Mets!"
After Philadelphia closed within a run in the bottom of the inning, New York took a two-run lead in the seventh as Lagares scored on Jose Reyes' grounder, sliding under Rupp's tag at home.
Hellickson, thought to be a pitcher a contender may consider at the July 31 trading deadline, hadn't allowed a homer in three straight games, going 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA before Friday's start.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mets: Collins said Cespedes is day to day, and was available to pinch-hit on Friday.
UP NEXT
Mets RHP Logan Verrett (3-6, 4.34) opposes RHP Jerad Eickhoff (6-10, 3.80) on Saturday night.
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