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PHILADELPHIA(AP)
Jamie Moyer
fooled hitters with slow stuff, painted the corners and got outs the same way he's been doing it for 23 years and 600 starts.
Moyer pitched neatly into the seventh inning,
Jimmy Rollins
hit a two-run double and the
Philadelphia Phillies
beat the
New York Mets
4-1 on Saturday.
''I really haven't figured anything out,'' Moyer said. ''It's a puzzle. I'm trying to piece it together and get good results.''
Moyer (7-6) allowed one run and five hits in 6 1-3 innings to win his third straight start. The 46-year-old Moyer tied
Carl Hubbell
for 42nd on the all-time list with his 253rd career win.
The NL East-leading Phillies have taken the first two games against the rival Mets to win just their third series at home
and first against a team other than the lowly
Washington Nationals
. The defending World Series champions have been awful at Citizens Bank Park, going 15-22. They were 1-8 in their previous
homestand.
''It's good to have a winning streak at home,'' Phillies manager
Charlie Manuel
said.
Mets starter
Fernando Nieve
(3-2) gave up four runs and six hits, walking six in 5 2-3 innings. He doesn't have to worry about losing his spot in the
starting rotation because the Mets announced that
Tim Redding
is heading to the bullpen to make room for
Oliver Perez
.
''I missed a lot of spots,'' Nieve said. ''They seemed to be taking more pitches today.''
Struggling setup man
Ryan Madson
got the last two outs in the eighth and
Brad Lidge
finished with a rare perfect inning for his 15th save in 21 chances.
''Location will be the big difference,'' Lidge said. ''I just have to build on it.''
Moyer didn't allow a hit until
Alex Cora
singled leading off the fourth. The soft-tossing lefty baffled the Mets' hitters with his usual assortment of offspeed pitches
and a fastball that barely reaches 80 mph. Moyer only had one strikeout and several outs were hit hard. He lowered his ERA
to 5.72.
''They put the ball in play quickly,'' Moyer said. ''I just try to go out, feel good and make good pitches.''
Jayson Werth
's sacrifice fly gave Philadelphia a 1-0 lead in the first. The Phillies loaded the bases on singles by
Shane Victorino
and
Ryan Howard
sandwiched around a walk to
Chase Utley
. Werth's high fly to right scored Victorino, who had three hits for the second consecutive game.
Pedro Feliz
singled to start Philadelphia's fourth and
Paul Bako
walked. After Moyer sacrificed, Rollins lined a double down the right-field line to make it 3-0.
Rollins is 5 for 11 with three doubles after going 0 for 28. He walked twice for just the second time this season. The 2007
NL MVP was benched four games during a recent road trip and is hitting just .213.
Nieve helped himself with an RBI single in the fifth that cut the deficit to 3-1.
Nick Evans
singled with two outs and
Omir Santos
followed with an infield single. Nieve hit a soft liner to left to score Evans.
New York's sloppy defense helped the Phillies add an insurance run in the sixth. Bako walked after third baseman
David Wright
allowed his foul pop to fall behind him down the left-field line. Nieve left after walking Rollins with two outs.
Pat Misch
came in and got Victorino to hit a foul pop, but catcher Santos dropped it near the Phillies' dugout. Victorino then singled
in a run to make it 4-1. It was the 34th unearned run the Mets have allowed this season.
''I think they're trying,'' Mets manager
Jerry Manuel
said. ''They're just not playing the best baseball at this point. We're struggling right now. It's tough.''
NOTES: Perez will return from the disabled list to start Wednesday against the
Los Angeles Dodgers
. Perez, sidelined since May with a right knee injury, is 1-2 with a 9.97 ERA in five starts this season. ... Hubbell and
Moyer are tied for 10th for most wins among left-handers. ... Moyer's 600th career start tied him with
Pete Alexander
for 21st on the all-time list. ... The Phillies are 3-9-1 in home series.
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