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PHILADELPHIA (AP) -
Jimmy Rollins
watched most of the game from the top step of the dugout, cheered on his teammates and got a chance to pinch-hit in an important
spot.
The
Philadelphia Phillies
need more than a cameo from the 2007 NL MVP to beat the
New York Mets
.
Oliver Perez
pitched 5 2-3 scoreless innings,
Jose Reyes
hit a two-run homer and the Mets defeated the Phillies 4-2 Saturday.
David Wright
had a two-run double for the Mets, who won their fourth straight against Philadelphia after losing nine in a row over two
seasons. Each of New York's wins has come with Rollins missing from the Phillies' lineup because of a sprained left ankle.
''They have a real good lineup, so you have to be careful with them,'' Perez said.
Without Rollins sparking things at the top, an offense that led the league in runs the last two years has sputtered.
''Our pitching has been good enough for us to have a winning record,'' Phillies manager
Charlie Manuel
said. ''We need to start hitting.''
Perez (2-0) allowed four hits, struck out seven and overcame five walks.
Aaron Heilman
escaped a bases-loaded jam in the eighth and
Billy Wagner
finished for his fourth save.
A brawl in the stands down the right-field line briefly held up the game with two outs in the ninth. One fan wearing a Mets
jersey was led away in handcuffs.
Chase Utley
hit a solo homer for the Phillies.
Jamie Moyer
(1-1) gave up two runs and seven hits in six innings.
Rollins hasn't started the last 10 games since he got hurt in a win over the Mets on April 8. With a sellout crowd chanting
''MVP,'' Rollins emerged from the dugout to bat for Moyer in the sixth. But he grounded out against
Duaner Sanchez
to leave two runners on.
Reyes then homered in the seventh to make it 4-0. Struggling Phillies first baseman
Ryan Howard
botched
Endy Chavez
's hard grounder that could've been an inning-ending double play, allowing Reyes to come up against
Ryan Madson
.
Howard, the 2006 NL MVP, was 0-for-5 with three strikeouts. He's batting .182 with 26 strikeouts in 66 at-bats. Howard heard
plenty of boos after he fanned for the third time.
''Obviously, I'm not comfortable and I'm not seeing the ball well,'' Howard said. ''Once I get comfortable, I'll be all right.''
Utley connected off
Scott Schoeneweis
, slicing it to 4-1 in the seventh. The Phillies missed an opportunity to get closer in the eighth after getting one run.
Pat Burrell
drew a leadoff walk from
Joe Smith
. After
Pedro Feliz
grounded out, pinch-hitter
Greg Dobbs
singled off
Pedro Feliciano
and
Eric Bruntlett
walked to load the bases.
Heilman came in and allowed an RBI single by pinch-hitter
Carlos Ruiz
that cut it to 4-2. But Heilman struck out pinch-hitter
Geoff Jenkins
and
Jayson Werth
to end the threat.
''Heilman did a great job,'' manager
Willie Randolph
said. ''I have complete confidence in him.''
Philadelphia beat the Mets eight straight games last year, needing every one of those wins. After chasing New York the entire
season, the Phillies caught the Mets the final weekend and clinched their first NL East title on the last day of the season.
The Phillies' success carried over and they spoiled the final Shea Stadium opener, rallying for a 5-2 win on April 8. It was
a costly win, though, because Rollins went down in that game. The Phillies are 4-6 without their switch-hitting shortstop.
The Mets jumped on Moyer right away. Reyes led off with a double down the left-field line.
Ryan Church
followed with a liner to right field that was dropped by
So Taguchi
and ruled a single. Wright's double to center drove in two runs for a 2-0 lead.
Moyer settled in after that inning, but didn't get much help from his offense.
''That's probably the most consistent I've been,'' Moyer said.
Notes: Wright has 12 RBIs in the last seven games. ... The Mets have scored in the first inning in seven straight games. ...
Rollins isn't sure when he'll return to the lineup, though Manuel hasn't ruled out Sunday night. ... Howard is 1-for-16 with
nine strikeouts against Perez. ... Mets C
Brian Schneider
has a bruised forearm.
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