|
 Niese allowed four hits over seven strong innings as the Mets
beat the Phillies 6-1.
Second baseman Daniel Murphy went 3-for-5 with an RBI, and shortstop
Ruben Tejada drove in two runs for the Mets (15-11), who won for the
fifth time in six games.
First pitch was delayed one hour and 28 minutes by rain, and the
game-time temperature was just 46 degrees. Showers, which were heavy
at times and buffeted by a stiff breeze, continued throughout the
night.
Niese (2-2) nonetheless held the Phillies without a hit until right
fielder Marlon Byrd blasted a solo homer with two outs in the
fourth. First baseman Ryan Howard followed with a single, but the
only other hits Niese allowed were a two-out single by second
baseman Chase Utley in the sixth and a one-out single by catcher
Carlos Ruiz in the seventh.
Niese, who won his second consecutive start, gave up one run, struck
out five and walked one.
"It was another cold one," he said, "but it seems like the more I
pitch in cold weather, the more I figure out how to stay warm."
Between innings he would huddle around the heater in the dugout, or
work the hand-warmers in his jacket pockets. One other thing.
"Just keep moving," he said. "Not try to stay in one spot for a long
time."
The result was his seventh victory over the Phillies in 13 career
decisions, his most victories over any team.
While Niese successfully battled the elements, Philadelphia
left-hander Cole Hamels (0-2) said the weather "got the best" of
him. He was particularly affected by the frosty temperatures, which
caused him to lose his feel for the baseball. As a result, he
allowed six runs on eight hits over 4 2/3 innings.
Hamels, making his second start of the season and his first at home
after missing three weeks with biceps tendinitis in his pitching
arm, struck out three and walked five, one shy of his career high.
He also hit a batter while failing in his bid to win his 100th
career game.
"I'm truly embarrassed," he said, "because I didn't really give
anyone a chance, because balls weren't even being put in play,
because I wasn't able to allow them to be put in play. ... When
you're walking that many guys and allowing the runs to score, you
don't give your team a chance to win in that case."
Hamels is now 7-14 in 27 career starts against the Mets. His .333
winning percentage against New York is his lowest against any
opponent. "This is definitely a game you don't want to remember," he said.
[to top of second column] |
The Phillies (13-13) saw their two-game winning streak end, and they
failed in their bid to go two games over .500 for the first time
since October 2012.
The Mets took a 1-0 lead in the third on an RBI single by Murphy,
who earlier extended his hitting streak to 10 games.
New York tacked on two more runs in the third. First baseman Josh
Satin hit a run-scoring single, and Niese coaxed a bases-loaded walk
from Hamels, the fourth base on balls issued by the Phillies
left-hander in the inning.
Byrd's two-out homer in the fourth, the Phillies' first hit of the
night, made it 3-1. New York answered with three more runs in the
fifth, on a single by center fielder Chris Young and Tejada's
two-run double.
NOTES: Phillies C Carlos Ruiz was selected the National League
Player of the Week for April 21-27 after hitting .500 with a homer
and seven RBIs. ... Philadelphia RHP Roberto Hernandez, normally the
No. 5 starter in the rotation, appeared in relief Tuesday. Manager
Ryne Sandberg said beforehand that Hernandez would skip his usual
turn Friday against the Washington Nationals because the team has
two scheduled off days this week. ... Sandberg also said OF/1B Darin
Ruf, who has yet to play this season because of an oblique strain,
is taking batting practice in Clearwater, Fla., and will begin
seeing action in extended spring training later this week. ... With
a stolen base in the fifth inning, New York 2B Daniel Murphy
extended his string of successful steal attempts, already the
second-longest streak in franchise history, to 28. Kevin McReynolds
stole 33 straight from 1987-89.
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