Mets Hold Off Frantic Late Rally From Phillies

PHILADELPHIA — Pedro Martinez pitched into the sixth inning then watched the New York Mets give back nearly all of a nine-run lead before holding on for a 10-9 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies last night.

David Wright homered and drove in four runs as the Mets built a 10-1 lead going into the bottom of the sixth. But three relievers, including closer Billy Wagner, combined to nearly blow it.

The Mets had a 10-7 lead heading into the ninth, but Wagner, who blew a save in the Mets' win Sunday, gave up a two-out RBI single to Pedro Feliz, scoring Shane Victorino. Eric Bruntlett, who had walked, also came around to score on a throwing error by center fielder Carlos Beltran.

Jayson Werth hit a soft liner to right, ending the comeback and giving Wagner his 20th save in 26 opportunities.

Endy Chavez, Damion Easley and Fernando Tatis had three hits each for the Mets (45-44), who last boasted a winning record on June 5 (30-29). New York tied its season high with 17 hits and wound up taking three of the last four games from the Phillies to move within 2.5 games of the NL East leaders.

Martinez (3-2) turned in one of his more effective performances of the season by allowing only five hits and two earned runs in 5 1-3 innings.

Philadelphia right-hander Adam Eaton (3-7) entered the game with a 5-0 career record against the Mets, but he was touched for 10 hits and eight runs — six earned — in 2 2-3 innings, his shortest outing of the season.

The Mets scored two runs in the first and three apiece in the second and third to take an 8-0 lead.

Chase Utley, Pat Burrell, Ryan Howard and Geoff Jenkins homered for the Phillies, who swept the Braves on the road for the second time this season and won the opener against the Mets before dropping three in a row.

Utley hit a solo homer in the fourth, his major league-leading 25th of the season, which cut the lead to 8-1.

Wright spoiled the major league debut of Philadelphia reliever R.J. Swindle on his 25th birthday with a solo homer to left, leading off the sixth. Burrell added a solo shot in the sixth, his 22nd of the season.

Howard hit a two-run homer to right in the seventh off Tony Armas, which was initially called a ground-rule double because a fan reached over the right-field wall and touched the ball. The four umpires convened and ruled the ball would have left the park had the fan not interfered. Television replays were inconclusive.

Mets manager Jerry Manuel disputed the reversal and was ejected. Manuel was also ejected — as the Mets bench coach — earlier in the season when the umpires overturned a homer by Carlos Delgado at Yankee Stadium.

Howard's homer made it 10-5.

Jenkins had a pinch-hit two-run homer in the eighth off Aaron Heilman. It was the second pinch homer this season for Jenkins, who snapped an 0-for-11 streak.