Utley Returns, Leads Phillies Over Mets

PHILADELPHIA — Chase Utley had three hits, including a solo homer, in his first game since having hand surgery one month ago, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Mets 9–2 last night in the opener of a pivotal four-game series.J.D. Durbin had a career-high six strikeouts in 6.1 innings, Pat Burrell and pinch-hitter Tadahito Iguchi hit two-run homers and Jayson Werth was 4-for-4, helping the Phillies move within five games of the NL East-leading Mets.Utley quickly found his stroke and finished the game leading the NL with a .339 average. He was 3-for-5 with two RBIs, falling a triple short of the cycle. The All-Star second baseman missed 28 games after he was struck by a pitch from Washington’s John Lannan on July 26. The gritty Utley finished that game, but the next day had a pin inserted into his hand to stabilize a broken right ring finger.Utley got a standing ovation when he came to the plate in the first inning and earned a curtain call after homering in the fifth. Fans chanted “M-V-P” after his RBI double in the sixth. He singled in the seventh.Durbin (6–3) allowed two runs and six hits. The right-hander is one of 12 pitchers to start for the injury-depleted Phillies this season.Mets starter Brian Lawrence (1–2) gave up five runs and 10 hits in 4.2 innings. He has a 6.31 ERA in five starts.Durbin retired the first 12 batters before Carlos Beltran doubled to right-center to start the fifth. Paul Lo Duca’s single with two outs drove in Beltran. Lo Duca went to third on Shawn Green’s single to right and scored on Lawrence’s sharp infield single to cut it to 3–2.But the Phillies answered with two runs in the bottom half on Utley’s 18th homer and an RBI single by Greg Dobbs.Jimmy Rollins singled and scored on Utley’s 42nd double to make it 6–2 in the sixth. Utley tied Bert Niehoff for the team record for doubles by a second baseman in a season.Werth gave the Phillies a 1–0 lead in the second with an RBI double. He has nine straight hits over two games. The NL record for consecutive hits is 10, accomplished by 10 different players.Burrell’s two-run homer put Philadelphia ahead 3-0 in the third. Chris Coste had an RBI double in the seventh and Iguchi followed with his second career pinch-hit homer.By that time, fans were chanting “Let’s Go Phillies,” a rare departure from the typical “E-A-G-L-ES” chants at Citizens Bank Park. As usual, many Mets fans were in the crowd and a few fights drew loud cheers.Notes: Phillies manager Charlie Manuel earned his seventh ejection of the season in the first inning for arguing a close play at first base. … Burrell has 38 homers and 97 RBIs in his career against the Mets. … Utley’s homer snapped an 0-for-8 against Lawrence.

Utley Returns, Leads Phillies Over Mets

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