09/07/2008 - Flushing, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Carlos Delgado stroked a pair of solo home runs and finished with four RBI as the New York Mets took a 6-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies to split a doubleheader at Shea Stadium.
Ryan Church and Damion Easley each went 2-for-4 with a run scored while Brian Schneider and Carlos Beltran each drove in a run for the Mets, who avoided the sweep and won for the fifth time in their last seven games.
Johan Santana (13-7), who hasn't lost a game since June 28, got the win for giving up just two runs on five hits in 7 1/3 innings of work. He hasn't lost the past 13 games he's started, but is just 6-0 during that run.
The Mets hold a two-game lead over Philadelphia for first place in the NL East. This was the last meeting between these teams for the regular season and New York won 11 of the 18 contests.
Ryan Howard finished 2-for-4 with a solo home run and two RBI while Andy Tracy drove in the other run for the Phillies, who have won five of their last eight games. Cole Hamels (12-9) was tagged with the loss for giving up five runs -- four earned -- on nine hits in five innings of work.
In addition to trailing New York for the division, the Phillies trail Milwaukee by four games for the NL Wild Card spot.
In the earlier game on Sunday, which was a makeup of Saturday's rainout due to Tropical Storm Hanna, Greg Dobbs clubbed a three-run homer and Jamie Moyer tossed seven shutout innings to help Philadelphia to a 6-2 win.
The Phillies took the early lead in the game with a run in the first inning. With one out, Chase Utley singled and Jayson Werth followed with a free pass. Howard then hit an opposite field single to bring home Utley. Philly missed the chance to plate more runners, though, as Pat Burrell struck out and Shane Victorino flied out to end the frame.
The Mets, though, answered with three runs in the bottom of the first. Church hit a one-out single and David Wright was then awarded first base on a catcher interference call that saw Phillies manager Charlie Manuel ejected by home plate umpire Jerry Meals after arguing the call.
Beltran then got the Mets on the board with a single to left that saw Wright beating the tag at third and Beltran taking second. Delgado then hit a two-run single to center to give the Mets a 3-1 lead.
In the second, New York loaded the bases with one out, but Hamels blew a fastball past Wright for the strikeout and then induced a foul out from Beltran to silence the threat.
Howard made it a one-run game in the third inning as he smoked the first pitch he saw over the left field fence.
Delgado, though, stroked his first home run of the game to lead off the third as he knocked a 0-2 curveball over the right-center wall.
In the fifth with one out, Delgado blasted the first pitch he saw out of the stadium in right-center for a 5-2 advantage.
In the seventh, Pedro Feliz led off the frame with a single, but the Phillies were unable to string together any more hits and Santana got out of the inning with the three-run lead intact. The Mets then added some insurance in the eighth as Easley led off with a triple and came home when Schneider lofted a sacrifice fly to right for a 6-2 lead.
The Phillies got a run in the ninth on a sacrifice fly from Tracy to make it a 6-3 game, but that was the second out and Luis Ayala struck out Rollins to seal the win.
Game Notes
It was the fourth time this season that Manuel was ejected...New York hosts Washington for a two-game set starting on Tuesday...Philadelphia returns home to face Florida for three games starting on Monday...Howard leads the majors with 40 home runs. It is the third straight year the slugger has reached the 40 HR plateau, the first Phillie to ever accomplish that feat...Each team left seven men on base.
<< Coaching legend Don Haskins dies
El Paso, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hall of Fame basketball coach Don Haskins, who
helped break racial barriers in the collegiate game, died Sunday at the age of
78.
The El Paso Times reports Haskins died of congestive heart failure.
In 1966
<< Colts' Clark leaves season-opener with knee injury
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Indianapolis Colts tight end Dallas
Clark left Sunday's season-opener against the Chicago Bears after suffering a
right knee injury in the first quarter.
Clark, who caught 58 passes and found the
<< Edwards wins Nationwide race at Richmond
Richmond, VA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Carl Edwards won Sunday's rescheduled Emerson
Radio 250 Nationwide Series race at the Richmond International Raceway. The
No.60 Roush Fenway Racing Ford driver grabbed the lead from Clint Bowyer with
28 laps
<< Woodbine Mile win sends Rahy's Attorney to Breeders' Cup
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rahy's Attorney, ridden by Slade Callaghan,
took the lead on the turn for home and went on to win Sunday's $1 million
Woodbine Mile at Woodbine Racecourse. Odds-on favorite Kip Deville, 2007
Breeder
Addai leaves Colts/Bears game >>
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Indianapolis Colts running back Joseph
Addai left the club's season-opening 29-13 loss to the Chicago Bears with a
head injury.
Addai was injured early in the fourth quarter after catching a p
Forte, Bears spoil Indy's stadium-opener >>
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rookie Matt Forte rushed for 123 yards on
23 carries and found the end zone, while also catching three balls for 18
yards, as the Chicago Bears christened Indianapolis' brand new Lucas Oil
Stadium
Mets closer Wagner suffers setback >>
Flushing, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New York Mets closer Billy Wagner suffered a
further setback and could possibly be out for the rest of the season due to
his left elbow problems.
Wearing a protective sleeve on his left elbow, Wagner t
Schiavone, Peng win Bali openers >>
Bali, Indonesia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Fifth-seeded Italian Francesca Schiavone
and ninth-seeded Chinese Shuai Peng were among Monday's first-round winners at
the $225,000 Commonwealth Bank Tennis Classic.
Schiavone drilled Indonesian quali
Barry Bonds Watch: Giants Slugger Says He'll Be Back
With only 21 home runs standing between him and Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds is indeed planning on coming back for more in 2007. At least, that's what his agent told the Los Angeles Times.
"Barry's going to play in 2007," Jeff Borris of Beverly Hills Sports Council told the Times on Tuesday. "I've had many discussions with Barry and he's going to play. My intentions are to see to it he's in a big-league uniform next season. Those are my marching orders."
Contract negotiations could get started as early as next week. Let's see which team has the deeper pockets. Will MLB baseball betting lines despite allegations of steroid use? Bet On It at www.MySportsbook.com .
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El Duque expected to throw Tuesday
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.
Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.
El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.
MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds.
Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.
New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.
Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''
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