Mets end 5-game skid, topping Phillies 5-4

NEW YORK - May 11, 2014

Down 4-1, the punchless Mets fought back in the ninth, sparked by Daniel Murphy's two-run homer. They did it while Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg held out closer Jonathan Papelbon, rather than use him for a third straight day.

In the 11th, Chris Young opened with an infield single, barely beating the flip from second baseman Chase Utley's glove. The Mets sent up pitcher Zack Wheeler as a pinch-hitter, and he put down a perfect sacrifice bunt that moved Young to second.

Juan Lagares drew an intentional walk and Anthony Recker loaded with the bases with another infield hit stopped by diving third baseman Reid Brignac. Tejada won it with one out, hitting a sharp single to left-center against Jeff Manship (1-1).

Tejada's teammates chased him down near first base to celebrate.

Scott Rice (1-1) got Reid Brignac on a grounder with two runners on to finish the 11th.

Phillies reliever Antonio Bastardo got the call to begin the ninth, and a three-run lead quickly evaporated. Eric Young Jr. led off with a double and Murphy followed with a home run that made it 4-3.

Chris Young ended his 0-for-18 slump by hitting a one-out double off the wall, and Roberto Hernandez emerged from the bullpen - he started for the Phillies on Friday night and threw 99 pitches.

Pinch-hitter Bobby Abreu singled off the glove of a diving Utley, and a slow grounder by Lagares drove in the tying run.

The Mets' comeback denied Cole Hamels his elusive first win of the year and 100th of his career. He struck out 10 in seven inning while throwing a whopping 133 pitches, the most of any major leaguer this year.

The 2008 World Series MVP began the day with a 7.02 ERA in three starts during a season already beset by tendinitis in his left biceps and a bout with the flu.

Held to a total of nine runs in their previous five games, the Mets started quickly when Young Jr. led off with a single and stole second, Murphy walked and David Wright hit an RBI single.

Wil Nieves and Cody Asche hit doubles in the second off Jonathon Niese that made it 1-all.

Ryan Howard led off the Phillies fourth with a single and went to third on Marlon Byrd's double. Domonic Brown followed with a grounder to first baseman Eric Campbell, who made his major league debut Saturday night.

Campbell hesitated a moment before whipping a sidearm throw home that sailed a bit up the third-base line, and the lumbering Howard twisted inches past Recker's tag, sprawled to the dirt and slapped the plate with his left hand. Nieves added an RBI groundout.

Utley tripled home a run in the ninth that made it 4-1.

NOTES: Campbell singled for his first big league hit. ... Niese struck out twice, leaving Mets pitchers 0 for 63 at the plate this year. ... The four-game Subway Series begins Monday night at Yankee Stadium with Mets RHP Bartolo Colon (2-5, 5.36 ERA) facing RHP Hiroki Kuroda (2-3, 4.43). The teams play twice in the Bronx before shifting across town for two more at Citi Field. The Mets went 4-0 against the Yankees last year. ... Several players swung pink bats on Mother's Day to support the fight against breast cancer. In keeping with the day's theme, Mets reliever Carlos Torres asked the team to play the hip-hop song "Dear Mama" by the late Tupac Shakur over the PA system if he got into the game Sunday. Torres didn't pitch. ... The Phillies and LHP Cliff Lee host Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night. The All-Star OF grew up rooting for the Phillies in nearby Millville, New Jersey, and this will be his first game against them. A few thousand fans from his hometown are expected at the two-game series.

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