Mets’ Rally Spoiled in 9th By Sloppy Play

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The New York Sun

PHILADELPHIA – Pinch-hitter David Dellucci hit a two-out triple in the ninth and then scored on pitcher Aaron Heilman’s wild throw down the first-base line to give the Philadelphia Phillies their ninth straight victory, 5-4 over the Mets last night.

Heilman (0-1) retired the first two batters, but Dellucci, hitting for the pitcher, lofted a triple that landed just inside the right-field line. Jimmy Rollins was hit by a pitch and Chase Utley walked to load the bases for Bobby Abreu.

Abreu tapped the ball in front of the plate, and Heilman’s throw to first base sailed down the line, allowing Dellucci to score for the emotional win.

The last time Philadelphia won nine in a row was a 13-game streak in 1991.

Tom Gordon (2-1) blew his first save of the year in the ninth and wasted a strong eight-inning outing from Brett Myers. With the Phillies leading 4-2, Gordon allowed a single, then Carlos Delgado’s tying two-run homer, his 12th, that brought a roar from the always mixed crowd.

Gordon was 10-for-10 in save opportunities and Delgado was 2-for-30 against the closer.

Gordon then put runners on second and third, but struck out Kaz Matsui to end the inning.

Myers has started to pitch like the ace the Phillies need if they want to make the playoffs for the first time since 1993. He set down 10 in a row before allowing Carlos Beltran’s one-out double in the seventh. He retired Delgado and struck out David Wright to end the inning.

The Mets finally got to Myers in the eighth. Cliff Floyd led off with a single, and Xavier Nady followed with a tworun drive to left that cut the Phillies’ lead to 3-2.

Ryan Howard added an RBI double in the eighth inning against Duaner Sanchez, the first run the reliever has allowed in 21 innings, to make it 4-2.

Gordon didn’t exactly make Phillies fans forget former closer Billy Wagner. Wagner, who saved 59 games in two years with the Phillies, did not pitch in his first game in town since ripping his former teammates over the weekend.

Myers, who has not allowed more than three runs in any of his seven starts, walked none, struck out six, and gave up five hits in eight innings.

Mets starter Pedro Martinez was just as sharp, retiring 13 straight in one stretch. He finished with 10 strikeouts and two walks in seven innings.

The only four hits he allowed all came in the second inning and helped the Phillies take a 3-0 lead.

Aaron Rowand led off the second with a triple and scored on David Bell’s double. Carlos Ruiz singled for his first major league hit, and Rollins drove him in with a single.

Then Martinez got going, striking out two in the third inning and didn’t allow another batter to reach until he hit Rowand on the left hand in the sixth.

***

SHEFFIELD MOVED TO DL The Yankees put Gary Sheffield on the 15-day disabled list yesterday because of a bruised left hand and called up outfielder Melky Cabrera from Triple-A Columbus.

Sheffield collided with Toronto first baseman Shea Hillenbrand after beating out an infield single on April 29 and left the game. He missed the next three games, pinch-hit in another and went 0-for-5 against Texas last Friday night.

– Associated Press


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