Schneider's pinch-double lifts Mets past Phillies
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - July 5, 2008 Schneider's two-run double came with two outs. He was the Mets'
third pinch-hitter of the inning as they overcame a 4-3 deficit.
The Mets won despite losing starting pitcher John Maine - a
right-hander - because of a cramp in his left forearm. Outfielder
Ryan Church left in the late innings with dizziness - he recently
came off the disabled list after being slowed by the effect of his
second concussion this year.
One night after Philadelphia relievers tossed 4 1-3 scoreless
innings and lowered their ERA to 2.62 in a 3-2 win over the Mets,
they imploded in the late innings.
J.C. Romero (4-2) let two runners reach in the eighth. Tom
Gordon threw a wild pitch that scored the tying run, then gave up
Schneider's hit. Rudy Seanez gave up three more runs in the ninth.
Pedro Feliciano (1-2) earned the win despite giving up a
go-ahead hit in the seventh.
Maine gave up just one hit in 5 2-3 innings, a three-run homer
by Ryan Howard. But after throwing a fastball to Howard in the
sixth, Maine walked off the mound because of the cramp.
Aaron Heilman relieved with the score tied at 3 and struck out
Howard to end the inning.
The Phillies took a 4-3 lead in the seventh on Jayson Werth's
pinch-hit, two-out single off Feliciano. Werth was thrown out
trying to move up on the throw home.
Damion Easley, who had three hits, singled with one out in the
Mets eighth and Carlos Delgado followed with a single. Gordon threw
a wild pitch that made it 4-all, pinch-hitter Marlon Anderson
walked and pinch-hitter Endy Chavez grounded out, moving the
runners to second and third.
Schneider batted for Feliciano and doubled to right-center. The
NL East-leading Phillies were booed off the field at the end of the
inning.
There was a 14-minute rain delay in the top of the ninth. The
Mets scored three times, capped by an RBI single from Chavez.
Maine, who flirted with the first no-hitter in Mets' history
last season, retired the first 10 batters. The perfect outing ended
in the fourth when he hit Shane Victorino, then walked Chase Utley.
Philadelphia's first hit was a huge one - Howard went the other
way to left for his 23rd home run that tied the game at 3. Howard
is one shy of the NL home run lead (Utley, 24) and the slugging
first baseman leads the league with 76 RBIs.
The Mets scored twice in the fourth to go up 3-0. David Wright
doubled and stole third and Carlos Beltran walked. Jamie Moyer had
Beltran picked off and caught in a rundown, but Howard fired the
ball into left for a throwing error that scored Wright. Easley had
a run-scoring single up the middle.
Jose Reyes and Ryan Church opened the game with consecutive
singles, putting runners on the corners. Wright grounded into a
double play for a 1-0 lead.
Notes: Phillies first-round draft pick Anthony Hewitt was at the
game. Hewitt, projected as a third baseman, was the 24th overall
pick and will begin his professional career playing for the
Phillies' Gulf Coast League affiliate in Clearwater, Fla. ... Mets
manager Jerry Manuel said he was giving "strong consideration" to
moving Beltran to the No. 2 spot in the lineup. He batted fifth on
Saturday.