ESPN

WHAT IT MEANS: They’re the comeback kings.

For the MLB-leading 11^th time this season, the Mets produced a comeback victory. It lifted them to a 10-6 win Wednesday at Citizens Bank Park and their first sweep of a three-game series in Philly since June 2006.

The Mets (18-13) moved five games over .500 for the first time since July 19, 2010, when they were 49-44.

The reeling Phillies, at 14-18, dropped four games under .500 for the first time since May 9, 2007 -- exactly five years ago. (Don’t look up how that season turned out in the NL East.)

The Mets had rallied from a 2-0 deficit in Monday’s series opener, then a 4-0 deficit Tuesday for victories. This time, they trailed 4-2 after six innings.

PEN PALTRY: After Cliff Lee departed at 84 pitches in his first outing since returning from the disabled list, the Mets rallied with a three-run seventh against reliever Kyle Kendrick. The first five batters reached, then Andres Torres delivered a run-scoring groundout to give the Mets a 5-4 lead.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis opened the frame with a walk. Justin Turner and Ike Davis consecutively doubled. Rob Johnson walked to load the bases. Then Kendrick plunked pinch hitter Lucas Duda to force in the tying run and set up Torres’ at-bat.

It marked the Phillies’ fifth blown save in their past 10 games.

Kendrick remained in for the eighth and surrendered a leadoff double to David Wright, then broken-bat RBI double to Scott Hairston as the Mets claimed a two-run lead. Later that inning, after Hunter Pence dropped a routine fly ball in right field, Davis launched a mammoth three-run homer off the façade of the second deck in right field against Jose Contreras to give the Mets a 9-4 cushion. It was Davis’ first long ball since April 18, against Atlanta’s Jair Jurrjens.

The Phillies had taken a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth while chasing Dillon Gee on a tiebreaking double by Freddy Galvis and RBI single by Laynce Nix.

HEY THERE MR.: D.J. Carrasco pitched the ninth in his first 2012 appearance with the Mets. He allowed one run.

WHAT’S NEXT: A day off at South Beach for the Mets on Thursday. The Amazin’s then open a weekend series against Jose Reyes and the Marlins on Friday -- their first glimpse at Miami’s new stadium. The opener, which features southpaws Johan Santana and Mark Buehrle, is the 8,000^th regular-season game in Mets history. And, presumably, the 8,000^th game in franchise history without a no-hitter. Reyes went 1-for-12 during the series at Citi Field.

The Mets overcame a four-run deficit to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies, 7-4, on Tuesday. It was the Mets' 10th come-from-behind win this season, matching the Atlanta Braves for the most in Major League Baseball.

On Wednesday, Dillon Gee opposes Cliff Lee with the Mets aiming for their first three-game sweep in Philly since June 13-15, 2006. David Wright homered in each game of that series.

"When you've got a young team, they're going to at times make you pull your hair out," Terry Collins said. "But, for the most part, they fight back and they play nine innings."

Wednesday's news reports:

• Josh Thole landed on the seven-day DL with a concussion, although Sandy Alderson projected the catcher will nearly certainly miss more than that time, because doctors have advised Thole to remain idle for a week or more before doing any activity whatsoever. The Mets promoted catcher Rob Johnson from Triple-A Buffalo and transferred Pedro Beato to the 60-day disabled list. Beato has been working back from a shoulder issue at the Mets' complex in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Alderson said Mets doctors evaluated Ruben Tejada for a concussion as well because of Sunday's tumble at Citi Field, but the shortstop was cleared. Tejada landed on the DL on Monday with a strained right quadriceps.

Ty Wigginton, who delivered the blow that nailed Thole on Monday night, told Zach Schonbrun in the Times: "I didn’t even know honestly that I made contact with him. I get to the dugout and turn around and he’s just laying there. I saw the replay and realized my shoulder got him. I didn’t realize it was anything like that.” Read more in the Star-Ledger, Post, Daily News and Newsday.

• Jenrry Mejia is due to throw 75 pitches in a start for Class A St. Lucie on Wednesday. Chris Young is scripted to go that same length Thursday for the same Florida State League club. Both pitchers underwent surgery last May 16. Mejia is returning from Tommy John surgery. Young is returning from surgery to repair a torn anterior capsule in his right shoulder, which is the same procedure Johan Santana underwent the previous September.

• Collins said Miguel Batista will remain in the rotation for another turn in Mike Pelfrey's former slot. Batista was charged with four runs (two earned) in 5 1/3 innings, although he needed Manny Acosta to strand two runners in scoring position in the sixth to hold the damage to that level.

• Jordany Valdespin on Wednesday should receive the baseball from his first major league hit -- Monday's tiebreaking, ninth-inning homer off Jonathan Papelbon. The ball actually was thrown back onto the field after Valdespin's long ball, but a ball girl flipped it back into the stands to a child, who departed the stadium. According to Mets PR man Jay Horwitz, the father of that child heard Tom McCarthy mention it on the Phillies TV telecast and recognized it was his son whom McCarthy was describing. The man contacted the Mets, who have made arrangements for the entire family to come to Citizens Bank Park for the series finale. Read more in Newsday.

• The tying run in the four-run seventh Tuesday scored when Wright got caught in a rundown between first and second and Kirk Nieuwenhuis eventually scampered home from third base. Collins and Wright portrayed it as a heady play by Wright to prevent Nieuwenhuis from being nailed at the plate by right fielder Hunter Pence, but that seemed like a stretch. After all, Nieuwenhuis had started the play on first base and had only just rounded second when Pence fielded the ball. No matter. It worked out for the best as second baseman Pete Orr errantly flung the ball to third base, allowing Nieuwenhuis to scamper home to draw the Mets even at 4.

Nieuwenhuis and Lucas Duda each had RBIs in the seventh and ninth innings. Both of Duda's came against left-handed relievers -- Antonio Bastardo and Joe Savery. Duda entered the game hitting .154 (4-for-26) against southpaws this season. "I kind of struggled throughout the first part of the season with lefties," Duda said. "Luckily, the ball found some space and I got a hit. Guys got on, and I swung the bat and hit the ball, and it was a base hit."

Collins said he was considering pinch hitting for Duda in the seventh before Wright's rundown allowed Nieuwenhuis to score and make it 4-4. Duda followed with the go-ahead RBI hit against Bastardo.

Said Collins about Duda: "Those were big hits. As a matter of fact, we were sitting there today. Lucas has been struggling a little bit against lefties. But the fact that he had the flu so bad -- he's really been struggling -- I'm really concerned about the fatigue factor more than anything. We were talking about the possibility of, 'Hey, look, if the bases are loaded, we might have to hit for him here.'"

• Read game recaps from Tuesday's win, which lifted the Mets to four games over .500, in the Post, Times, Star-Ledger, Newsday, Record and Daily News.

• Columnist Ken Davidoff in the Post seems like he's starting to believe. Writes Davidoff:

It’s a typical Mets con job, right? Gotta be. No, no -- not that type of con job. They beat that rap. I’m talking about the Mets’ annual first-half surge that fires up their fan base, only to lead to second-half heartbreak and apathy. Well, after witnessing the Mets outlast and outwit the Phillies last night, 7-4 at Citizens Bank Park, it should be said: If this early charge proves nothing more than a mirage, then kudos to the Mets for putting on a particularly enjoyable sell.

• Matt Harvey tossed six scoreless innings in Buffalo's 3-0 win at Gwinnett, the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. Read Tuesday's full minor league recap here.

TRIVIA: For which team did Omir Santos make his major league debut?

Tuesday's answer: Warren Spahn is the oldest player to have thrown a pitch for the Mets. He was 44 years, 78 days old when he faced Houston on July 10, 1965.

WHAT IT MEANS: The Mets overcame their largest deficit of the season -- four runs -- and produced their 10^th come-from-behind victory of the season with a 7-4 win against the Phillies on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park.

The Mets (17-13) matched their high-water mark at four games over .500, which they also reached at 4-0, 6-2, 7-3 and 13-9.

A four-run seventh inning against Joe Blanton, Chad Qualls and Antonio Bastardo erased a 4-1 deficit.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis began that comeback with a two-out RBI single that chased Blanton.

Qualls entered with two runners on base and surrendered a single to right field by David Wright.

Andres Torres comfortably scored on the play, but Nieuwenhuis stopped at third base. That is, Nieuwenhuis stopped until Wright got into a rundown between first and second.

That’s when Phillies infielder Pete Orr intended to throw the ball to second base, but no one was covering. Orr regrouped and tried to fling a throw to third to catch Nieuwenhuis straying too far down the line. The throw missed its mark and ended up in foul territory as Nieuwenhuis trotted home to tie the score at 4.

Lucas Duda followed with a go-ahead RBI single against Bastardo.

Niewenhuis also scored in Denver from third base on a play in which Wright got caught in a rundown between first and second. That time a pickoff move by Drew Pomeranz initiated the rundown.

Nieuwenhuis and Duda added ninth-inning RBIs for a three-run cushion.

The Mets entered Tuesday night one shy of the major league lead for come-from-behind wins -- 10 by the Atlanta Braves.

TAKING THE FIFTH: Mike Pelfrey, lost for the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, was more valuable than commonly understood.

After two starts by Chris Schwinden in Pelfrey’s rotation spot, 41-year-old Miguel Batista took the latest turn. Hunter Pence launched a two-run homer in the first inning against Batista and Philadelphia added a pair of unearned runs in the second inning following an error by Jordany Valdespin.

Batista’s final line: 5.1 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K.

Manny Acosta stranded two runners inherited from Batista in scoring position by coaxing a weak groundout from the opposing pitcher Blanton, then striking out Jimmy Rollins to hold the Mets’ deficit to 4-1.

In three starts in Pelfrey’s absence, fill-ins have now allowed 15 runs (12 earned) on 21 hits and five walks in 13 1/3 innings. Opponents have hit five homers.

WHAT A RELIEF: For the second straight game, Tim Byrdak inherited a runner at third base with two in the eighth and recorded the out. This time, he coaxed pinch hitter Ty Wigginton into a flyout to center field.

After saves on three straight days from Frank Francisco, Jon Rauch handled the ninth and recorded his first Mets save.

SHORTCOMING: Valdespin’s first major league start at shortstop got off to a rocky start. The rookie, fresh off a heroic ninth-inning homer against Jonathan Papelbon on Monday, airmailed a throw to Ike Davis for a two-base error to open the bottom of the second inning and also could not hold a throw from catcher Mike Nickeas on a potential caught stealing of Orr during that frame.

Terry Collins said pregame Justin Turner already is scripted to start Wednesday at shortstop, with Ronny Cedeno expected back from the DL for Friday’s series opener in Miami. Cedeno is due to take over the position until Ruben Tejada’s return.

WHAT’S NEXT: The Mets will aim for their first three-game sweep in Philly since June 2006 when Cliff Lee (0-1, 1.96 ERA) returns from the disabled list to face Dillon Gee (2-2, 4.50) in Wednesday’s 7:05 p.m. series finale. A sweep would send the Phillies four games under .500 for the first time since May 9, 2007.

At Class A St. Lucie, Jenrry Mejia is due to throw 75 pitches in a rehab start Wednesday. Chris Young, who should inherit Pelfrey’s rotation spot within a month, should be on the same pitch count Thursday for St. Lucie. Both pitchers underwent surgery on May 16, 2011 -- Mejia on his right elbow, Young on his right shoulder.

Jordany Valdespin delivered a pinch-hit three-run homer in the ninth off Jonathan Papelbon and the Mets beat the Phillies, 5-2, in Monday's series opener at Citizens Bank Park. The Mets also had received a big contribution from Tim Byrdak, who struck out Erik Kratz to strand the go-ahead run at third base in the bottom of the eighth. Roy Halladay was working on a one-hit shutout entering the sixth, when David Wright delivered a two-run double to even the score at 2. Halladay departed after seven innings with his pitch count at 107.

Papelbon, who served up the infamous 2009 pinch-hit homer to Omir Santos at Fenway Park, had held opponents hitless in the past 20 at-bats against him before Mike Nickeas' two-out double in the ninth advanced Ike Davis, who had walked, to third base and set up Valdespin's heroics.

It was Valdespin's first major league hit. Nickeas had replaced Josh Thole behind the plate a half-inning earlier, after Thole received a jolt to the head from ex-Met Ty Wigginton on a play at the plate.

"He had that feel like he was going to finish this one out," Wright said about Halladay, whose streak of wins in eight straight starts against the Mets was snapped. "We weren't able to do much against him. ... He was really dominant tonight. We were fortunate to get those two and then get him out of the game. And then to get a few off Pap, you're going from one of the best starters in the game to one of the best closers in the game. Any time you can win a game like that, that's special."

Said Terry Collins about a jubilant clubhouse that cheered SportsCenter highlights of the game afterward: "They are fired up. These guys, they realize no one expects anything from us. To come back against Roy and tie the game up, and then to finish the game with two guys that weren't even in the game at the beginning with huge hits (Valdespin and Nickeas), it was a great win for us."

Tuesday's news reports:

• Wigginton, who has a reputation dating to his Mets days for taking out catchers on plate collisions, nailed Thole with his left shoulder in the bottom of the eighth. Thole held onto the ball for the second out to preserve a 2-all score, but was forced to leave the game complaining of dizziness. The Mets did not firmly announce postgame that Thole had a concussion, but that seemed the likelihood. Thole appears headed for a newly created seven-day DL available for concussed players. The Mets planned to bring Rob Johnson or Lucas May from Triple-A Buffalo to Philadelphia, according to assistant GM John Ricco. Vinny Rottino has catching experience, but he exclusively played left field with the Bisons this season before a promotion and is viewed more as an emergency third catcher than a potential starter behind the plate. Read more in the Star-Ledger, Post and Newsday.

• Before Monday's opener, shortstop Ruben Tejada landed on the disabled list with a right quadriceps strain. That paved the way for Valdespin to be activated for Monday's long ball. Justin Turner made his first major league start at shortstop Monday, but Valdespin will be assigned there Tuesday. Valdespin, a middle infielder, only appeared at shortstop in one game at Buffalo this season because he was getting a crash course in center field. Overall, though, he has played 146 minor league games at shortstop, trailing only second base (210 games) for most duty. Read more in the Post, Journal, Star-Ledger, Times and Newsday.

• Valdespin became the first player with a pinch-hit homer for his first major league hit since Cincinnati's Juan Francisco in the ninth inning on Sept. 18, 2009 against the Marlins. Writes columnist Jeff Bradley in the Star-Ledger:

All around the Mets clubhouse, his teammates’ eyes were on Valdespin. There were smiles everywhere. A comeback against Halladay. A two-out rally against Papelbon. And a game-winning bomb from a kid who’d never hit safely in a big league uniform. “You’ve got to battle,” said Collins. “You’ve got to scratch. I came into this organization two years ago, and we were being criticized for not having a very good minor league system. When we put out a lineup last week with all homegrown players we didn’t do it for publicity. We did it because we think they’re good enough to be up here. And Jordany Valdespin is another sign. He’s done his time. It’s time for him to play in the big leagues.” Who knows where it goes from here. But on a night like this, could you blame Collins for believing maybe his team had done something more than just win Game 29 of 162?

• Jon Niese allowed two runs and was pulled with his pitch count at 101 after five innings. He walked four Phillies. "It was just one of those things where they worked the count real well and made me throw a lot of pitches," Niese said. "All of my pitches were moving a lot more than really normal. I don't know the reason for it. But I had a tougher time with my control today."

• Read game recaps in the Record, Newsday, Times, Journal, Daily News, Post and Philadelphia Inquirer.

• Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels was suspended five games by Major League Baseball for plunking Nats rookie Bryce Harper on Sunday night. The suspension won't affect the Phillies since Halladay can pitch on standard rest Saturday while Hamels waits until the following day. Philadelphia had an eventful 24-hour news cycle, with Nats GM Mike Rizzo taking aim and Hamels and the Phillies, calling the southpaw "gutless," "classless," and "fake tough" in The Washington Post. Said Rizzo to the newspaper: "I’ve never seen a more classless, gutless chicken [bleep] act in my 30 years in baseball. Cole Hamels says he’s old school? He’s the polar opposite of old school. He’s fake tough. He thinks he’s going to intimidate us after hitting our 19-year-old rookie who’s eight games into the big leagues? He doesn’t know who he’s dealing with.”

"Things that happen in the game happen in the game," Phillies GM Ruben Amaro told the Philadelphia Daily News on Monday. "That's part of the game. But as far as how the Phillies want to conduct themselves, we like to try to take the high road on things like this. By no means are we condoning trying to be injurious."

Hamels' admission of intentionally hitting Harper came shortly after Chipper Jones took verbal aim at Jamie Moyer and his former club, the Phillies, for allegedly stealing signs -- in response to Moyer accusing Jones and the Braves of that activity.

Said Collins on Monday: "No. 1, things aren't very secretive anymore. There's so many different manners of the way news is spread today that it's tough to keep a secret. I was surprised Cole said what he said. I was a little taken aback that Chipper said what he said publicly."

Collins acknowledged, though, that initiating rookies routinely happened back in the day.

"No doubt," Collins said. "For years, the young players, one of the things those veteran pitchers used to do is knock you on your butt to find out how you were going to respond. Veteran umpires used to ring you up on pitches off the plate to see how you were going to respond, what kind of reaction they're going to get out of you. Are you going to be a pro and walk away? Are you going to raise hell? Everybody wants to feel you out a little bit. And if that was Cole's thing, that is what they did years ago. But I haven't seen it in a while. It may have happened. I just haven't noticed it."

The Phillies-Nats rivalry is getting heated on multiple fronts. Nats outfielder/ex-Phil Jayson Werth, who broke a wrist in Sunday night's game, said Phillies fans taunted him as he left the field. Werth sent an email to The Washington Post that read: “After walking off the field feeling nauseous knowing my wrist was broke and hearing Philly fans yelling ‘You deserve it,’ and, ‘That’s what you get,’ I am motivated to get back quickly and see to it personally those people never walk down Broad Street in celebration again.”

• Right-hander Jacob deGrom, a ninth-round pick in 2010 out of Stetson University, retired 20 of 21 batters he faced in his debut with Class A Savannah as the Gnats beat Lakewood, 5-0. Read Monday's full minor league rehab here.

• Guillermo Mota, who tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings against the Mets last month in two appearances with the San Francisco Giants at Citi Field, was suspended 100 games by MLB for another positive test for a performance-enhancing substance -- this time Clenbuterol, according to MLB. Mota had a 50-game suspension imposed for a positive test while with the Mets, yet the organization signed him to a two-year, $5 million deal at the time anyway that was backloaded to minimize the amount of dollars Mota had to forfeit while serving the ban. Read more in the San Francisco Chronicle.

• Johan Santana offers a positive review of his season performance thus far to Wayne Coffey in the Daily News. “On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d give myself a 7,” Santana told Coffey. “I still have some way to go, things to work on. That’s okay. For me the biggest thing is staying healthy, because I know if I’m healthy, I can compete, because that’s what I’ve done my whole career.”

TRIVIA: Miguel Batista, 41, starts Tuesday for the Mets. Who is the oldest player to ever throw a regular-season pitch for the organization?

Monday's answer: Brett Myers was the first Phillies pitcher to allow a homer to Wright in the third baseman's career. Actually, Myers served up the first two homers Wright hit against Philadelphia -- five days apart in September 2004. Myers is now the closer for the Houston Astros.

WHAT IT MEANS: Omir Santos … again?

Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon, who had not allowed a hit in the last 18 at-bats against him entering the series, surrendered a one-out walk to Ike Davis, two-out double to Mike Nickeas, then a three-run homer to pinch hitter Jordany Valdespin in the top of the ninth inning to lift the Mets to a 5-2 win Monday at Citizens Bank Park.

It was Valdespin’s first major league hit. He is due to start at shortstop Tuesday in place of injured Ruben Tejada.

Papelbon, of course, served up the infamous two-run homer on May 23, 2009 to Santos at Fenway Park in a blown save.

GAMER: Ex-Met Ty Wigginton knocked Josh Thole from the game in the bottom of the eighth on a play at the plate. Thole took a jolt to the head from Wigginton’s left shoulder. He walked off under his own power, but seemingly will need to be monitored for a concussion. Thole held onto the ball, preserving the 2-2 score. Tim Byrdak recorded the final out of the eighth to strand the go-ahead run at third base with a strikeout.

Wigginton has a history of hard-nosed plate collisions. As a Met in 2003 in San Juan, he locked his arms and struck Montreal Expos catcher Michael Barrett, jarring a ball loose.

In the six weeks after he was traded from the Mets to the Pirates in the Kris Benson deal at the July 2004 deadline, Wigginton broke Koyie Hill's ankle and bruised St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina in jarring home-plate collisions while playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

DRIVEN: David Wright pulled the Mets even at 2 with a two-out, two-run double in the sixth against Roy Halladay. It was the 740^th and 741^st RBIs of Wright’s Mets career, extending his franchise record.

HALLADAY SPREE: Halladay’s streak of winning eight straight starts against the Mets ended with a no-decision. Barely.

In the bottom of the seventh, in an inning in which Halladay departed for a pinch hitter with the score tied at 2, the Phillies loaded the bases with one out against Bobby Parnell. Parnell then induced a groundball to Daniel Murphy, who initiated a 4-6-3 inning-ending double-play attempt.

First base ump Alan Porter ruled Hunter Pence had beaten the relay throw from Justin Turner, seemingly allowing Juan Pierre -- who walked as the pinch hitter for Halladay -- to score the go-ahead run. Terry Collins got halfway to first base to argue the call when Pence then was ruled out.

The out call came from second base ump Ron Kulpa, who ruled Shane Victorino had left the base line to interfere with Turner.

It’s not the first time at Citizens Bank Park an interference call affected a game late.

Back on Aug. 29, 2007, during a four-game sweep of the Mets by the Phillies, the third game ended with Marlon Anderson called by umpire C.B. Bucknor for an illegal takeout slide against second baseman Tadahito Iguchi.

Halladay, who received a no-decision, fell short of matching Juan Marichal and Sandy Koufax for the fourth-longest streak all time of consecutive starts with a win against the Mets. They both had wins in nine straight starts. Only Larry Jackson (13 straight), Don Drysdale (12) and Bob Friend (10) have longer streaks.

Coming off an outing against Atlanta in which he surrendered eight runs, Halladay had limited the Mets to one hit entering the sixth. Then, in that inning, he issued a two-out walk to Andres Torres and single to Kirk Nieuwenhuis preceding Wright’s game-tying double.

FIVE AND DIVE: Jon Niese limited the Phillies to two runs, but the southpaw walked four and departed Monday’s game having logged 101 pitches in five innings. He received a no-decision. It was the most pitches in a five-inning-or-less outing by a Mets starter since Chris Capuano went 4 2/3 innings in a 103-pitch outing at St. Louis last Sept. 22.

WHAT’S NEXT: Miguel Batista steps into the rotation slot that Chris Schwinden occupied for two unsuccessful turns. And this is not a make-or-break start for the 41-year-old Batista, according to Collins. “He’s going to get a few chances to show us what he can do,” Collins said. The manager added that Batista is not a placeholder for Chris Young, although it certainly seems that’s the case. Young, working back from May 16, 2011 surgery to repair a torn anterior capsule in his right shoulder, is scheduled to throw 75 pitches Thursday for Class A St. Lucie in his first official minor league game.

METS (15-13, third place/NL East) vs. PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (14-15, fifth place/NL East)

Monday: LHP Jon Niese (2-1, 4.08) vs. RHP Roy Halladay (3-2, 3.40), 7:05 p.m. ET

Tuesday: RHP Miguel Batista (0-1, 6.92) vs. RHP Joe Blanton (3-3, 2.83), 7:05 p.m. ET

Wednesday: RHP Dillon Gee (2-2, 4.50) vs. LHP Cliff Lee (0-1, 1.96), 7:05 p.m. ET

Phillies short hops

• Cliff Lee returns from a left oblique strain for Wednesday’s start. The southpaw had been on the disabled list since April 21. With Lee’s return, Kyle Kendrick reverts to bullpen use. Kendrick made three starts in Lee’s absence, going 0-2 with a 6.43 ERA. On Friday at D.C., Kendrick did limit Washington to one run in five innings to outperform Stephen Strasburg (three runs in six innings), although the Nats won, 4-3, in 11 innings.

• Ryan Howard, who is trying to work back from left Achilles surgery and an ensuing infection in the repaired area, expects to hit and run at the team’s Clearwater, Fla., complex this week. Meanwhile, Chase Utley (knee) also could begin working out there this week, in a quasi-beginning to spring training. Utley spent the past five weeks rehabbing in Arizona. Since Jim Thome landed on the DL on May 2 with a lower-back strain, righty-hitting Ty Wigginton and lefty-hitting Laynce Nix exclusively have shared first-base duties. Meanwhile, with rookie Freddy Galvis (.198) underperforming, Pete Orr has started seven of the past 12 games at second base. Philly media speculation is former Cub/Giant Mike Fontenot soon could be promoted from Triple-A Lehigh Valley, with Galvis demoted.

• Roy Halladay enters Monday’s start having allowed eight earned runs and 12 hits in 5 1/3 innings in his most recent outing, at Atlanta. The damage, which came after Halladay needed only 46 pitches to navigate the opening four innings, included a grand slam by Brian McCann. It was the most earned runs allowed by Halladay since surrendering nine in 5 1/3 innings at Texas on May 5, 2007 while with the Toronto Blue Jays. The last grand slam allowed by Halladay? That came in 2008, courtesy of Evan Longoria. Halladay’s fastball has averaged 90.4 mph this season, down from 92.0 mph last season and 92.6 mph in 2010.

• Right fielder Hunter Pence homered twice Sunday night against the Nats. He has a nine-game hitting streak.

• Joe Blanton tossed a three-hit shutout Thursday at Atlanta. It was the third shutout of Blanton’s career, and first since June 2, 2007 with Oakland against Minnesota.

• Philadelphia’s bullpen has blown three of its past five save chances, although that is before the ball got to Jonathan Papelbon. The former Red Sox closer is 9-for-9 this season. He was named MLB’s Delivery Man of the Month for April. Since a single by Angel Pagan on April 16, Papelbon has not allowed a hit in the last 18 at-bats against him. Papelbon’s nine saves are tied with Atlanta’s Craig Kimbrel for the National League lead.

• The Phillies snapped a string of seven straight losses to the Nationals with a 9-3 win Sunday night.

• Catcher Carlos Ruiz produced seven RBIs against Atlanta on Wednesday. That was one RBI shy of matching the Phillies’ single-game record, which is held by Jayson Werth (2008), Mike Schmidt (1976) and Willie Jones (1958).

• Shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who moved to the leadoff spot April 28 as Charlie Manuel tried to jumpstart the Phillies’ offense, went 5-for-27 on Philadelphia’s six-game trip.

• Reliever Jose Contreras was activated from the DL on April 16. He had undergone elbow surgery on Sept. 2, 2011.

• Cole Hamels told Philly reporters he purposely plunked Washington's Bryce Harper during Sunday's first inning. Harper got the last laugh, ultimately stealing home that inning. Nats pitcher Jordan Zimmermann subsequently hit Hamels with a pitch in the left leg. "I'm not gonna lie," Hamels said, according to the Philadelphia Daily News. "It's kind of welcome to the big leagues. He kind of did the same to me."

Matchups

Niese vs. Phillies (career: 4-4, 3.58 ERA)
Ty Wigginton .500, 1 BB, 1 K, 3 PA
Placido Polanco .417, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K, 26 PA
Carlos Ruiz .357, 2 RBI, 4 K, 14 PA
Freddy Galvis .333, 1 K, 3 PA
John Mayberry .294, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 K, 17 PA
Shane Victorino .278, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 3 K, 19 PA
Jimmy Rollins .263, 2 BB, 3 K, 21 PA
Hunter Pence .143, 1 BB, 4 K, 15 PA
Brian Schneider .000, 1 K, 4 PA

Batista vs. Phillies (career: 3-3, 4.42 ERA)
Jimmy Rollins .550, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 4 BB, 1 K
John Mayberry .500, 1 RBI, 2 PA
Placido Polanco .343, 3 RBI, 4 BB, 2 K, 40 PA
Ty Wigginton .308, 4 RBI, 3 K, 13 PA
Carlos Ruiz .286, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 9 K
Hunter Pence .250, 1 BB, 1 K, 5 PA
Brian Schneider .231, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 16 PA
Juan Pierre .227, 4 BB, 1 K, 27 PA
Laynce Nix .000, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 10 PA
Shane Victorino .000, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 5 PA
Pete Orr .000, 1 PA

Gee vs. Phillies (career: 2-1, 7.85 ERA)
Jimmy Rollins 1.000, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 4 PA
Brian Schneider .500, 2 BB, 4 PA
Shane Victorino .286, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K, 10 PA
Laynce Nix .200, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 6 PA
Carlos Ruiz .200, 1 K, 5 PA
Hunter Pence .167, 3 BB, 1 K, 9 PA
John Mayberry .167, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 7 PA
Placido Polanco .167, 1 BB, 7 PA
Pete Orr .000, 1 K, 1 PA

Halladay vs. Mets (career: 9-2, 2.88 ERA)
Justin Turner .500, 1 K, 2 PA
Josh Thole .438, 2 K, 16 PA
Scott Hairston .333, 1 BB, 2 K, 7 PA
Andres Torres .231, 1 BB, 2 K, 14 PA
Ike Davis .211, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 5 K, 20 PA
Daniel Murphy .167, 1 K, 6 PA
David Wright .143, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 11 K, 22 PA
Ruben Tejada .000, 1 RBI, 8 PA
Lucas Duda .000, 1 K, 6 PA
Mike Baxter .000, 1 K, 2 PA

Blanton vs. Mets (career: 3-1, 3.50 ERA)
Scott Hairston .500, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 K, 6 PA
Ike Davis .455, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K, 12 PA
Andres Torres .333, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 4 PA
David Wright .261, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 6 K, 24 PA
Josh Thole .111, 1 RBI, 3 K, 9 PA
Daniel Murphy .000, 1 BB, 2 K, 4 PA
Ruben Tejada .000, 3 PA
Lucas Duda .000, 2 K, 3 PA
Justin Turner .000, 1 PA

Lee vs. Mets (career: 2-1, 1.61 ERA)
Andres Torres .500, 2 K, 7 PA
Ruben Tejada .500, 6 PA
Josh Thole .500, 2 PA
Daniel Murphy .333, 1 RBI, 2 K, 6 PA
David Wright .286, 3 K, 7 PA
Lucas Duda .167, 3 K, 6 PA
Scott Hairston .143, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 K, 14 PA
Justin Turner .000, 1 BB, 3 K, 10 PA
Ike Davis .000, 2 K, 6 PA

Last series results

Mets won, 2-1, at Citizens Bank Park, April 13-15 (AP game recaps)

Mets 5, Phillies 2: R.A. Dickey threw seven sharp innings, Jason Bay hit a two-run homer and the Mets beat Cliff Lee. Scott Hairston also homered. Freddy Galvis hit his first major league homer for the Phillies. Dickey (2-0) allowed one run despite nine hits. The knuckleballer struck out seven and lowered his ERA against Philadelphia to 2.40 in seven career starts. Dickey has compiled 14 straight quality starts -- six or more innings with three earned runs or less -- dating to last July 25. Lee (0-1) gave up four runs and five hits in seven innings, striking out seven. He allowed just nine runs in his previous 11 starts, spanning 83 2/3 innings. The Mets played without David Wright for the third straight game.

Mets 5, Phillies 0: Jon Niese and two relievers combined on a six-hitter and David Wright homered despite a broken finger. Niese (2-0) allowed five hits and struck out five in 6 2/3 innings. Bobby Parnell got four outs and Jon Rauch pitched the ninth. Wright was 3-for-5, including a long homer on the first pitch he saw after missing three games with a broken right pinkie. Lucas Duda also connected for the Mets, who are off to a surprising 6-2 start. Phillies starter Vance Worley (0-1) allowed four runs and eight hits in six innings.

Phillies 8, Mets 2: Cole Hamels pitched seven strong innings and Ty Wigginton drove in four runs. Hamels (1-1) struck out 10 to help the Phillies avoid a three-game sweep at home against the Mets for the first time since June 13-15, 2006. Philadelphia struggled to cross the plate until scoring twice in the seventh inning against Ramon Ramirez (1-1). The Phillies blew the game open with five unearned runs in the eighth off two Mets relievers. The Phillies tied it at 2 in the seventh on Wigginton's sacrifice fly that scored Jimmy Rollins. Rollins could've been the second out of the inning, but right fielder Lucas Duda misjudged Rollins' lazy flyball to short right field, allowing Rollins a single. Helped by Ruben Tejada's throwing error, the Phillies tacked on five unearned runs run in the eighth. Manny Acosta walked Hunter Pence with the bases loaded before Wigginton hit a bases-clearing double off Miguel Batista for the five-run lead. Ike Davis' two-run homer in the first had staked the Mets to a 2-0 lead.

Ike Davis' first homer in 11 months, a two-run shot in the first inning against left-hander Cole Hamels, ended up accounting for the only Mets runs in an 8-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.

Davis then singled in his next at-bat. So his series-finale production doubled his season hit total to four. After a 2-for-4 day, he's now hitting .125 this season, up from .071 when he awoke.

"I'm just glad I hit the ball on the barrel and it didn't get caught," Davis said about the long ball against Hamels. "It felt good. I mean, I haven't hit a ball like that all year. It's a start – somewhere -- for sure.

"Some games I felt good at the plate. Probably the last three or four I didn't really feel good. But today I felt comfortable. Hamels had really good stuff, and I was lucky to hit one he left over the plate, and the other one found a hole."

Said Terry Collins: "The best part is it was against a lefty, because they've been eating him up pretty good right now."

Davis' last homer came May 6, 2011. Four days later, he collided with David Wright and did not return for the remainder of the season because of an ankle injury. Collins suggested the layoff may have contributed to the slow start to this season, but Davis would not accept the alibi.

"I don't want to blame it on anything besides myself," Davis said. "I don't want to make excuses. I haven't played well, and I need to play better. Hopefully I can keep getting hits and having good at-bats and keep building on it."

• Mike Pelfrey's final line suggested a good outing: 6 IP, 8 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K.

But, Pelfrey readily acknowledged, he did not feel like his fastball was anywhere close to acceptable. He threw the pitch nine straight times to open the game and allowed three straight singles. Pelfrey then started incorporating his curveball and splitter more and had success, particularly getting groundballs.

(Read full post)

WHAT IT MEANS: Ike Davis delivered a two-run homer in the first inning against Cole Hamels, but the Phillies rallied for seven runs against the Mets’ bullpen and avoided getting swept by the Mets at Citizens Bank Park for the first time since June 13-16, 2006.

In the seventh, Ramon Ramirez surrendered a game-tying sacrifice fly to ex-Met Ty Wigginton, then an RBI double to Laynce Nix that Scott Hairston could not reach in the left-field corner. The Phillies ultimately won, 8-2, Sunday afternoon. Jimmy Rollins, who scored on Wigginton’s sacrifice fly, had reached on a fly ball that dropped in front of range-challenged right fielder Lucas Duda.

Davis, who produced hits in each of his first two at-bats, entered the game 2-for-28 to start the season. He last had homered May 6, 2011 against the Los Angeles’ Dodgers’ Hiroki Kuroda, four days before suffering the season-ending ankle injury in the collision with David Wright in Denver.

Wright scored on Davis’ long ball and went 2-for-4. He is now hitting .571 (12-for-21). The Mets suffered their first loss in six games with Wright in the lineup.

Hamels tossed six scoreless frames after the two-run first. He struck out 10 and improved to 4-10 lifetime against the Mets. Hamels also had one of the three double-digit strikeout performances against the Mets last season. Tim Hudson and Tim Lincecum had the others.

Ruben Tejada had three of those strikeouts and also committed an eighth-inning error Sunday afternoon. That error led to five unearned runs as Manny Acosta walked Hunter Pence with the bases loaded and two out in the eighth, then Wigginton delivered a three-run double against Miguel Batista. The final damage came when Wigginton scored from second base on a John Mayberry Jr. trickler up the first-base line that actually was foul until Batista let it roll back fair before picking up.

The Mets had limited the Phillies to three runs through the first 24 innings of the series.

IT’S A START: Mike Pelfrey limited the Phillies to one run in six innings, although it was a tightrope performance. Staked to 2-0 lead, Pelfrey surrendered singles to each of the first three batters he faced. He limited the damage to one run in the first inning by retiring Carlos Ruiz on a bases-loaded grounder to first base. Catcher Mike Nickeas halted another threat in the fourth by throwing out Juan Pierre at third base on the front end of a double-steal for the inning’s final out.

WHAT’S NEXT: The Mets head to Atlanta to face the Braves, whom they swept in New York to open the season. Dillon Gee (0-1, 5.06 ERA) opposes right-hander Tommy Hanson (1-1, 2.70) in Monday’s 7:10 p.m. series opener.

Jon Niese has now taken a scoreless effort into the seventh inning of both outings since signing the contract that guarantees him a minimum of $25.5 million over five seasons.

The latter effort came Saturday, when he limited the Philadelphia Phillies to no runs in 6 2/3 innings in a 5-0 victory.

Niese said the outing actually was better than the no-hit bid he took into the seventh against the Atlanta Braves last weekend before Freddie Freeman broke it up.

“I felt the ball was coming out of my hand a lot better than the first game,” Niese said.

Yes, the Phillies’ offense has mostly been anemic this season minus injured Ryan Howard and Chase Utley. They mustered only six hits and did not send more than four batters to the plate in any inning Saturday. Overall, the Phillies have scored 20 runs in 2012 -- better than only the Pittsburgh Pirates among all 30 major league teams.

Yet Niese was very good, too, as the Mets produced only their second shutout at Citizens Bank Park since it opened in 2004.

“Both outings, he’s pitched absolutely great,” Terry Collins said. “He kept the ball down. He’s keeping the ball on the corners. He’s changing speeds, using his curveball. I actually thought his changeup today was very good. He didn’t throw a lot of them, but he threw enough to certainly give them a look.

“I like our pitching staff. We don’t have necessarily the big names, but I like our pitching staff. They throw the ball over. They don’t beat themselves. We’ve gotten good outings from every one of them so far.”

• So how will Collins settle the center-field platoon Sunday with the Mets facing southpaw Cole Hamels?

The manager said he plans to use both lefty-hitting Kirk Nieuwenhuis and righty-hitting Scott Hairston. Hairston should man right field. Lucas Duda, who snapped an 0-for-15 drought with a homer and double Saturday, should get his first day off.

(Read full post)

Recap | Box score | Photos

WHAT IT MEANS: David Wright is back. After a three-game absence, Wright homered on the first pitch he saw from Vance Worley on Saturday while playing with a fractured right pinkie. The Mets went on to beat Philadelphia 5-0. On Sunday afternoon, the 6-2 Mets will bid for their first series sweep in Philly since June 13-15, 2006.

Jon Niese, Bobby Parnell and Jon Rauch combined on only the Mets' second shutout at Citizens Bank Park since the ballpark opened in 2004. The other came Aug. 7, 2010, when Johan Santana combined with Francisco Rodriguez, who had a five-out save.

WRIGHT STUFF: Wright went 3-for-5, with one out coming on a hard-hit smash up the middle that deflected off Worley to shortstop Jimmy Rollins for an unlucky double play.

The first-inning homer gave Wright 730 career RBIs, within three of matching Darryl Strawberry for the franchise record. Wright is now hitting .588 (10-for-17) with two homers and five RBIs on the season.

Wright had quipped pregame that his throwing is generally subpar anyway and wouldn't be affected as much as hitting by the broken pinkie on his right hand. He nonetheless had a couple of rough throws.

The first came in the second inning with an off-line toss to Ike Davis after Wright fielded John Mayberry Jr.'s grounder, although Davis reached down the line for the throw and made the play. The second off-the-mark throw came in the sixth, when Wright fielded Placido Polanco's grounder and tried to initiate a double play. Wright bounced the throw to second baseman Daniel Murphy, but Murphy scooped the ball and the Mets got the out at that base.

No worries, though. Wright then made consecutive 5-3 putouts to end the inning, including ranging wide to his left to field Hunter Pence's grounder, spinning and throwing on target to Davis for the final out of the sixth.

DUUUDE: Lucas Duda snapped an 0-for-15 drought with a two-run homer off Worley in the fourth that staked the Mets to a 4-0 lead. The Mets had loaded the bases with none out in that inning before Jason Bay grounded into a run-scoring 6-4-3 DP that set up Duda's at-bat with one runner aboard. It was Duda's third long ball of the season. He had a two-homer game against Atlanta on April 7, with the shots coming against Jair Jurrjens and Chad Durbin.

THAT'S NIESE: Coming off a season debut in which he took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning against Atlanta, Niese did not have comparable drama this time, surrendering a single to No. 2 hitter Polanco in the first inning. Yet Niese took a scoreless effort into the seventh for a second straight outing. This time, he was pulled with his pitch count at 102, two out in the frame and one runner on base after Carlos Ruiz was announced as the pinch hitter. Parnell recorded the final out, then pitched a scoreless eighth as well. Niese's line: 6.2 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K.

THIEF: The Mets stole their first base this season when Mike Baxter walked and swiped second in the ninth. Baxter then scored the Mets' fifth run on an RBI by Ruben Tejada. The Mets' first steal coming in Game 8 was the third-longest drought to start a season in franchise history. It took 17 games in 1963 and 12 games in '62.

WALLBANGER: Center fielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis has a reputation for not fearing walls, which contributed to his suffering injuries in the minor leagues. That fearless play was on display Saturday. Nieuwenhuis went deep into the right-center gap to track down Brian Schneider's shot near the wall and end the second inning.

WHAT'S NEXT: Mike Pelfrey opposes Cole Hamels on Sunday as the Mets bid for their first series sweep in Philly in six years. Pelfrey's career ERA at Citizens Bank Park: 8.60, in eight starts. Hamels, though, has 10 losses against the Mets, more than against any other opponent. The southpaw's lifetime 4.46 ERA against the Mets is better than his ERA against only two National League opponents -- the Houston Astros (5.02) and Colorado Rockies (5.09). Of course, much of the career damage against Pelfrey has been inflicted by injured Ryan Howard (.372, 3 HR) and Chase Utley (.333, 4 HR).

Recap | Box score | Photos

WHAT IT MEANS: The Mets’ two-game skid is over, thanks to a 5-2 victory in Philadelphia in their first road game of the season.

BAY WATCH: Jason Bay had no RBIs in spring training. Zero. And he drove in one run on the Mets’ season-opening six-game homestand.

He finally delivered Friday night.

Bay produced a two-run homer in a three-run first inning against Phillies ace Cliff Lee. Scott Hairston then had a solo homer in the fifth, as the Mets took a 4-1 lead.

Bay's last homer: Sept. 8, 2011, off Atlanta southpaw Mike Minor. Before going deep, Bay had a 17-start homerless drought -- the 10th-longest streak of his career. He also recorded his second outfield assist of the young season Friday, retiring John Mayberry Jr. trying to stretch a hit into a double in the second inning.

Lee’s final line: 7 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 7 K.

The southpaw had entered with a 0.97 ERA over his last 11 regular-season starts, during which he had not allowed more than two earned runs in any game. The last time Lee had yielded three or more earned runs in a regular-season game: July 30, 2011 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. (He did allow five runs in six innings in a Game 2 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals in last year’s NLDS.)

Lee had not allowed multiple homers in a game since the Blue Jays took him deep three times in Toronto on July 3, 2011.

STREAKING: R.A. Dickey tossed his 14^th straight quality start, the longest active streak in the majors. In a 102-pitch effort, Dickey limited the Phillies to one run, nine hits and a walk while striking out seven in seven innings. The lone damage came on a third-inning solo homer by Freddy Galvis, the first long ball of the Chase Utley fill-in’s major league career.

UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT? Intentionally or unintentionally, Josh Thole got fooled by Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins.

After Thole reached on an infield single in the second inning, Dickey bunted toward first base and seemingly sacrificed Thole into scoring position. But as Thole made his way toward second base, Rollins put up his right hand -- either signally to Thole to slow up because there was no play … or to indicate a foul ball if intended more sinisterly.

Thole apparently interpreted the hand gesture as the latter. He began to jog back to first base as if the ball were foul. Rollins motioned for Lee to throw the ball to him. And by the time Thole realized the ball was live, he was a sitting duck and tagged out at first base for a double play.

WHAT’S NEXT: Jon Niese (1-0, 4.50), who took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning in his first start, opposes Philllies right-hander Vance Worley (0-0, 1.50 ERA) at 4:05 p.m. Saturday. Before the game, David Wright could land on the disabled list with a fractured right pinkie. That would pave the way for Daniel Murphy to play third base, Ronny Cedeno and Justin Turner to share second base and, according to a team source, Josh Satin to be promoted for a bench role. Murphy drove in the game's opening run with a double, but also prolonged the game with a two-out error in the ninth that allowed Philadelphia's second run to score.

David Wright visited a hand specialist at the Hospital for Special Surgery on Thursday, who reiterated that Wright could test his broken pinkie swinging Friday and play if pain tolerance allows. Wright suffered the fracture Monday, diving back into first base on a pickoff throw from Washington's Edwin Jackson.

If Wright remains unavailable, Ronny Cedeno could start at third base in tonight's series opener in Philadelphia, which features R.A. Dickey against Cliff Lee. If Terry Collins thought Wright would miss any length of time -- which the manager now does not -- Daniel Murphy would shift to third base. Read the series preview here.

Friday's news reports:

• Andy McCullough in the Star-Ledger retells the story of why rookie center fielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis picked playing baseball at Azusa Pacific University rather than football at the University of Colorado. On a recruiting trip to Boulder, Nieuwenhuis spotted an intimidatingly sized player working out. It turned out to be the kicker, Mason Crosby, now of the Green Bay Packers. “I was like, ‘If this guy’s the kicker, what am I getting myself into?’" Nieuwenhuis told McCullough. Nieuwenhuis also was recruited by Colorado State and Air Force for football.

• Tyler Kepner in the Times notes the Phillies, despite a 3-3 record, are having difficulty scoring runs. In fact, minus Ryan Howard and Chase Utley, the Phillies have scored 18 runs through six games -- with seven of those coming in one game. Yet Philadelphia is stocked at pitching with Roy Halladay, Lee and Cole Hamels atop its rotation, and able to compensate. “Runs are down, they continue to be down, and it’s going to get worse, probably, as far as offense is concerned, because pitching is the most important part of the game," Phillies GM Ruben Amaro tells Kepner about baseball's current landscape."I believe in it.” Adds Kepner:

As the Phillies’ general manager, Amaro has built teams that increasingly reflect that belief. As the team has collected aces, the offense has slipped by comparison. The 2009 Phillies scored the most runs in the National League and allowed the sixth fewest. The 2010 team was fairly balanced, and by 2011, the rankings had virtually flipped. The Phillies ranked only seventh in runs scored but allowed the fewest runs in the league. When their pitchers were not at their sharpest in the playoffs against St. Louis, a feeble offense doomed them to defeat. Now the disparity seems to be growing.

• Wright is under the Mets' control through 2013, including a team option. And Andy Martino in the Daily News notes the Mets are holding off conducting extension talks now. The reason: It makes sense to see if Wright will be the player who can produce like he was in the season's first four games, or whether as a player who turns 30 in December he is at a stage where his production may irreversibly slip. Read more on Wright's pinkie/status in Newsday, the Record, Post and Times.

• Collin McHugh limited Portland to one run in 6 2/3 innings and Jefry Marte had three RBIs in Binghamton's 5-1 win. Read the full minor league report here.

• After Justin Turner shoved a shaving-cream pie in Murphy's face following Monday's walk-off win, rather than the preferred whipped-cream pie, Brian Costa in the Journal investigated the origins of the pie-to-the-face tradition. Writes Costa:

There are newspaper references to players being doused with shaving cream after wins as early as the 1960s. But pieing is a more recent phenomenon. Ron Darling, who pitched for the Mets from 1983 to 1991, said it was unheard of when he played. "If somebody had thrown a pie in my face, I would've hit them," Darling said. Dave Racaniello, the Mets' longtime bullpen catcher, recalled former closer John Franco lobbing a few pies in the early 2000s, but only occasionally.

• Ken Belson in the Times profiles Ralph Kiner, who turns 90 on Oct. 27. Writes Belson:

Ralph Kiner’s 50-year career as a Mets announcer started with a bang in 1962. During his first postgame show, Kiner’s guest was Casey Stengel, the omnipresent manager of the fledgling Mets who could fill an entire show with tales tall and small. They sat in a makeshift studio beneath the stands at the Polo Grounds. The interview went smoothly until Kiner thanked Stengel, who got up to leave even though they were still on air. Stengel also forgot to take off the microphone around his neck and, in his haste, pulled down the entire set as he exited.

Belson also recalled Kiner charmingly once saying on air: “It’s Father’s Day today at Shea, so to all you fathers out there, happy birthday.” Gary Cohen told Belson: “He is as comfortable in his skin as anyone I know. While he never played for the Mets or another New York team, he embodies the history of the Mets.”

TRIVIA: Cole Hamels lost consecutive 1-0 starts to the Mets in August 2010. Which starting pitchers did he face in those two games?

Thursday's answer: A.J. Burnett is the current major leaguer who had the most career starts against the Mets before finally picking up a win. Burnett was 0-5 with six no-decisions in his first 11 starts against the Mets before finally notching a victory as a Marlin on Sept. 7, 2004.

METS (4-2, second place/NL East) vs. PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (3-3, third place/NL East)

Friday: RHP R.A. Dickey (1-0, 3.00) vs. LHP Cliff Lee (0-0, 1.50), 7:05 p.m. ET

Saturday: LHP Jon Niese (1-0, 4.50) vs. RHP Vance Worley (0-0, 1.50), 4:05 p.m. ET

Sunday: RHP Mike Pelfrey (0-0, 4.76) vs. LHP Cole Hamels (0-1, 5.06), 1:35 p.m. ET

Phillies short hops

• First baseman Ryan Howard and second baseman Chase Utley will remain sidelined for the foreseeable future. Howard was examined Tuesday by foot and ankle specialist Mark Myerson in Baltimore. He developed an infection in the back of his left heel as the result of surgery to repair a torn left Achilles tendon. That prompted a Feb. 27 surgical procedure to address the infection. Utley has dealt with chronic knee pain and is rehabbing in Arizona.

The Phillies already have used four different first basemen in Howard’s absence -- Ty Wigginton (twice), John Mayberry Jr. (twice), Laynce Nix and Jim Thome. Thome’s start was his first at the position since June 13, 2007. Nix previously had started only six career games at first base. Rookie Freddy Galvis has started all six games at second base. Michael Martinez, a Rule 5 pick last season, who now is Phillies property, started seven games at second base last season, but has a broken right foot. Martinez suffered the injury when he was hit by a pitch from Baltimore's Jim Johnson in a March 20 spring-training game.

Galvis, 22, became the first player to make his major league debut on Opening Day with the Phillies since shortstop Larry Bowa and second baseman Denny Doyle in 1970. He exclusively played shortstop in the minors and shifted to second base during spring training. Galvis hit a combined .278 with eight homers and 43 RBIs last season between Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He went 0-for-12 to start this season, before doubling in his final at-bat Monday, against Miami’s Anibal Sanchez.

Nix, 31, signed a two-year, $2.5 million contract in December. He hit .250 with 16 homers and 44 RBIs in 324 at-bats with the Washington Nationals last season.

• The Phillies had a fortuitous break in not re-signing Ryan Madson, whose agent originally believed the sides had agreed to a four-year, $44 million deal. Philadelphia quickly regrouped and landed former Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon for four years, $50 million. Madson then signed with the Cincinnati Reds late on a deal that guaranteed $8.5 million for 2012. He will end up missing the season following Tommy John surgery. Phillies GM Ruben Amaro publicly stated there was never an agreement, while Madson’s agent, Scott Boras, said at the time: "We never rejected any offer from Philadelphia at four years and $44 million. We advised Philadelphia that we would agree to such a proposal. And Philadelphia decided upon hearing that to go in a different direction."

Papelbon last season became the first pitcher to have 30-plus saves in each of his first six full major league seasons. He also became the fastest to 200 saves -- in his 359^th appearance. Papelbon’s new entrance music, by the way: Alice in Chains' "Man in the Box."

• Shortstop Jimmy Rollins re-signed with the organization on Dec. 17 for three years, $33 million, plus a 2015 vesting option.

• Reliever Jose Contreras, who underwent elbow surgery in September, has started a rehab assignment with Class A Clearwater. Contreras is expected to work consecutive minor league games Thursday and Friday, after which he could be activated from the disabled list.

• Former Met-killer Pat Burrell plans to sign a one-day minor league contract with the Phillies next month and officially retire with the organization. Burrell is fourth all time in homers in the uniform, with 251. He will throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Philadelphia’s May 19 game against the Boston Red Sox.

(Read full post)

WHAT IT MEANS: The Mets matched their season low-water mark by dropping eight games under .500 at 60-68. They also opened the season 5-13. The not-so-Amazin’s have lost five straight and 17 of 22.

With a matinee on Wednesday, Terry Collins pulled David Wright and Jason Bay from the game in the middle of the seventh, after the Mets’ scored their opening run on Justin Turner’s groundout to trim the deficit to eight runs. Lucas Duda added a two-run homer in the eighth.

NOT SO NIESE: Jon Niese, pushed back a day because he tweaked his back striking out during his previous start in San Diego, allowed a career-high eight earned runs. Niese also allowed eight runs against the Atlanta Braves on Aug. 31, 2010, but five were unearned that time.

Niese lasted only four innings on this night, matching his shortest outing of the season (also an 11-0 drubbing by Roy Halladay and the Phillies on April 7).

Shane Victorino opened the scoring with a solo homer in the third. John Mayberry Jr. added a three-run shot later that frame.

Niese departed with the bases loaded and none out in the fifth. All three inherited runners scored against Pedro Beato as the Phillies grabbed a 9-0 lead. The final two runs that inning came home when Angel Pagan misread Victorino’s liner and it landed over the center fielder’s head for a two-run triple.

WATCH MEN: The Mets stranded five runners over the first two innings against Vance Worley, but that barely tells the story. With second and third base occupied in the first two frames, the Mets struck out FIVE times looking -- Duda and Nick Evans in the first, then Niese, Pagan and newly installed No. 2 hitter Ruben Tejada in the second.

WHAT’S NEXT: The Mets try to avoid the sweep as Mike Pelfrey (6-10, 4.61 ERA) opposes right-hander Kyle Kendrick (7-5, 3.24) in Wednesday’s 1:05 p.m. start.

METS (60-66, fourth place/NL East) vs. PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (81-44, first place/NL East)

Monday: RHP Dillon Gee (11-4, 3.92) vs. LHP Cliff Lee (13-7, 2.82), 7:05 p.m. ET

Tuesday: LHP Jon Niese (11-10, 4.05) vs. RHP Vance Worley (8-1, 2.76), 7:05 p.m. ET

Wednesday: RHP Mike Pelfrey (6-10, 4.61) vs. RHP Kyle Kendrick (7-5, 3.24), 1:05 p.m. ET

Phillies short hops

• Right fielder Hunter Pence was acquired from the Houston Astros on July 29 for four minor leaguers: Jarred Cosart, Jonathan Singleton, Josh Zeid and Domingo Santana. Despite going 0-for-4 Sunday at Washington, the 28-year-old Pence is hitting .307 (23-for-75) with four homers, 12 RBIs and 11 walks in 20 games as a Phillie. The team is 15-5 during that span. Pence is under the Phillies’ control through the 2013 season. He is batting fifth, protecting cleanup hitter Ryan Howard. Pence has the most outfield assists in the majors over the past four seasons.

• Shortstop Jimmy Rollins is due to have an MRI on Monday after leaving the series finale against the Nationals in the third inning with a strained right groin.

• Brad Lidge made his 2011 debut on July 25 after opening the season on the disabled list with a right rotator cuff strain. Lidge notched his 100^th save as a Phillie on Aug. 3 at Colorado, but Ryan Madson is the closer. With Madson getting a day off after allowing a career-high six runs Friday at Washington and having had a recent heavy workload, Antonio Bastardo blew Sunday’s save in the ninth inning. Bastardo surrendered a game-tying, two-out homer to Ian Desmond. Lidge (2.25 ERA) then suffered the loss in the 10^th when he loaded the bases and then hit Jonny Gomes to force in the winning run. Lidge is fourth on the Phillies’ all-time save list, trailing Jose Mesa (112), Steve Bedrosian (103) and Mitch Williams (102).

• Third baseman Placido Polanco (sports hernia) intends to return from the disabled list for Monday’s series opener. Ex-Met Wilson Valdez and Rule 5 pick Michael Martinez have shared the third-base duty since Polanco last appeared in a game Aug. 6.

• Right-hander Kyle Kendrick is expected to start Wednesday’s series finale, affording Philadelphia’s starters extra rest. Cole Hamels missed a turn with left shoulder inflammation, but is expected to return to action Friday against the Florida Marlins. Roy Oswalt’s start last Friday ended up being pushed back a day after there was a two-hour, 22-minute rain delay. Kendrick took that start instead on short notice, lining him and not Oswalt up for the Mets.

• Cliff Lee is 3-0 with a 0.75 ERA in three starts this month, including scoreless outings against the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers.

• The Phillies released ex-Met Aaron Heilman as well as outfielder Jack Cust from their minor league system. Heilman had allowed nine runs on 14 hits and six walks in 9 2/3 innings with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He quickly signed with Pittsburgh and has been assigned to Triple-A Indianapolis.

• John Mayberry could start in place of Raul Ibanez against Jon Niese on Tuesday. Mayberry has typically started against southpaws in place of Ibanez since a promotion in early July.

• Chase Utley (.278, 9 HR) homered Sunday off Chien-Ming Wang -- the second baseman’s first long ball since July 29, off Pittsburgh’s Charlie Morton.

Matchups

Gee vs. Phillies (career: 1-0, 6.23 ERA)
Ryan Howard .500, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 4 PA
Wilson Valdez .500, 1 BB, 3 PA
Chase Utley .333, 3 PA
Shane Victorino .000, 1 BB, 1 K, 4 PA
Raul Ibanez .000, 1 K, 4 PA
Carlos Ruiz .000, 1 K, 3 PA
Hunter Pence .000, 1 BB, 1 K, 3 PA
Ben Francisco .000, 1 PA
John Mayberry .000, 1 PA
Brian Schneider 1 BB, 1 PA
Jimmy Rollins 1 BB, 1 PA

Niese vs. Phillies (career: 3-3, 2.82)
Carlos Ruiz .357, 2 RBI, 4 K, 14 PA
Wilson Valdez .353, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 4 K, 18 PA
Chase Utley .286, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 9 PA
John Mayberry .273, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 K, 11 PA
Shane Victorino .250, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K, 13 PA
Raul Ibanez .250, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 4 K, 18 PA
Jimmy Rollins .250, 2 BB, 2 K, 18 PA
Hunter Pence .125, 1 BB, 2 K, 9 PA
Ben Francisco .100, 3 BB, 3 K, 14 PA
Ryan Howard .077, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 5 K, 14 PA
Ross Gload .000, 1 PA
Michael Martinez .000, 1 RBI, 1 K, 4 PA

Pelfrey vs. Phillies (career: 6-6, 5.12 ERA)
Ben Francisco .400, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 6 PA
Hunter Pence .385, 1 RBI, 2 K, 13 PA
Ryan Howard .375, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 5 BB, 4 K, 46 PA
Michael Martinez .333, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 3 PA
Shane Victorino .310, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 5 K, 44 PA
Chase Utley .294, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 5 BB, 4 K, 41 PA
Raul Ibanez .294, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 1 BB, 9 K, 35 PA
Jimmy Rollins .282, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 BB, 4 K, 40 PA
Brian Schneider .231, 2 BB, 1 K, 16 PA
Carlos Ruiz .227, 3 RBI, 3 BB, 2 K, 26 PA
Ross Gload .143, 1 K, 7 PA
Wilson Valdez .000,1 BB, 1 K, 8 PA
John Mayberry .000, 5 PA

Lee vs. Mets (career: 1-0, 0.64 ERA)
Ronny Paulino .667, 3 PA
David Wright .500, 1 K, 4 PA
Jason Bay .333, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K, 10 PA
Angel Pagan .333, 3 PA
Scott Hairston .111, 2 K, 9 PA
Justin Turner .000, 1 BB, 1 K, 4 PA

Worley vs. Mets (career: 2-1, 3.52 ERA)
Lucas Duda 1.000, 1 BB, 2 PA
Josh Thole .400, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 6 PA
Jason Bay .333, 2 BB, 8 PA
Justin Turner .333, 1 RBI, 6 PA
David Wright .333, 1 K, 3 PA
Ruben Tejada .250, 1 RBI, 1 K, 4 PA
Angel Pagan .200, 1 RBI, 2 K, 5 PA
Jason Pridie .000, 1 K, 2 PA
Nick Evans .000, 1 K, 1 PA

Kendrick vs. Mets (career: 4-5, 2.88 ERA)
Jason Pridie 1.000, 2 BB, 3 PA
Scott Hairston .500, 1 RBI, 2 PA
Josh Thole .385, 1 RBI, 1 K, 13 PA
Willie Harris .368, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K, 20 PA
Ronny Paulino .353, 2 RBI, 2 K, 18 PA
David Wright .250, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 3 K, 26 PA
Lucas Duda .200, 5 PA
Jason Bay .188, 3 K, 16 PA
Angel Pagan .167, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 3 K, 26 PA
Ruben Tejada .000, 6 PA
Justin Turner .000, 5 PA

Last series results

Phillies won, 2-1, at Citi Field, July 15-17 (AP game recaps)

Phillies 7, Mets 2: Fill-in shortstop Ruben Tejada's two-out error loaded the bases in the eighth, then newly promoted reliever Ryota Igarashi gave up a three-run double to the first batter he faced, ending any chance the Mets had. Carlos Beltran hit his 14th homer as the Mets (46-46) dropped back to .500. R.A. Dickey (4-8) gave up three runs in the second inning and the Mets never could catch up. John Mayberry Jr. drove in five runs to set another career best, Vance Worley pitched well enough and the Phillies got off to a strong start after the All-Star break. Mayberry singled and doubled with the bases loaded. It marked the second straight game where he established a personal high in RBIs. On the Phillies' final day of the first half, he hit three doubles and drove in four runs against Atlanta. Raul Ibanez contributed a home run and a diving catch in left field for Philadelphia. Recalled from Triple-A before the game for his fourth stint of the year with Philadelphia, Worley (5-1) pitched shutout ball into the sixth inning. Worley picked up his first career RBI and avenged his worst start as a major leaguer. The Mets tagged him for eight runs and 12 hits in only three innings at Citi Field on May 29, his lone loss this season. Down 4-0, New York loaded the bases against the 23-year-old Worley in the sixth with two walks and a single. Charlie Manuel summoned lefty reliever Juan Perez, who struck out pinch-hitter Scott Hairston on a wild pitch that scored a run. Perez then retired pinch-hitter Ronny Paulino on a grounder. Mayberry broke it open with a three-run double in the eighth, which came right after Tejada's misplay. Mayberry hit a two-run single in the second. Worley followed with a groundout that made it 3-0.

Mets 11, Phillies 2: Cole Hamels is an All-Star against everyone but the Mets. It seems that holds true no matter who's in the lineup. Scott Hairston, subbing for ailing slugger Carlos Beltran, hit a long homer and drove in a career-best five runs as New York hammered the Phillies' ace yet again. Daniel Murphy also went deep and Jon Niese pitched seven strong innings. Fielding a makeshift lineup minus its four biggest bats, New York rapped out 15 hits. Hamels yielded seven earned runs, matching a career high, and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings while falling to 3-10 in 16 career games against the Mets. Beltran sat out with the flu and a high fever, so Mets manager Terry Collins inserted a not-so-secret weapon against Hamels (11-5). Hairston batted third in large part because he entered with a .353 career average (6-for-17) and three homers against the left-hander, one of Philadelphia's three All-Star starters. Those big numbers quickly ballooned even more. Hairston doubled his first two times up, driving in two runs and scoring one as New York built a 4-0 lead by the fourth. He hit a three-run shot off Danys Baez in the seventh to make it 11-2, a drive to left that sailed into the rarely reached second deck at spacious Citi Field. New York totaled 10 runs in its previous five games, an understandable slump considering the competition. Hamels was the fifth All-Star starter the Mets faced in a span of six games, going 2-3. Hamels’ demise came much to the delight of fans who remember that Hamels called the Mets "choke artists" in December 2008 after their second consecutive September collapse. He lasted only 2 2/3 innings in a 7-1 loss to the Mets on April 5 and had dropped five consecutive starts against them before striking out 10 in a 5-2 victory May 28 at Citi Field. Niese (9-7) allowed one earned run and six hits while striking out six and walking one. Miscommunication on the Philadelphia infield made for an unlucky early moment for Hamels. Hairston doubled with two outs in the first and hustled home when Murphy's harmless-looking popup dropped between first baseman Ryan Howard and second baseman Chase Utley, who both backed away as the ball descended.

Phillies 8, Mets 5: Mike Pelfrey gave up Michael Martinez's first career homer, a three-run shot, and was outpitched by Kyle Kendrick, who helped lead the Philadelphia Phillies to their seventh straight series win. Kendrick singled twice and scored on Martinez's drive in the fifth inning off Pelfrey (5-9). Martinez, a Rule 5 pick from Washington, added a sacrifice fly in the seventh for a career-high four RBIs. Ryan Howard hit a run-scoring single in the first and Philadelphia took two of three from the NL East rival Mets for the fourth time this season. Jimmy Rollins had a two-run single in a three-run eighth, aided by Jason Bay's error in left field and reliever Pedro Beato's three walks. Those eighth-inning runs provided a needed cushion when the Mets took advantage of four walks and a hit batter to score three in the bottom half. Kendrick (5-4) continued his dominance of division opponents, improving to 4-1 in 11 games (four starts) this season. Until the seventh, when pinch-hitter Scott Hairston hit an RBI single, Kendrick shut down New York anytime he found himself in trouble. He gave up a leadoff double to Lucas Duda in the second but then induced three straight groundball outs. A leadoff walk in the third was quickly wiped out by a double play. He then retired nine of 10 before Ronny Paulino doubled to open the seventh. Kendrick gave up six hits in seven innings, walking three. Carlos Beltran was out with the flu for the second straight game and Terry Collins again tried to take advantage of a favorable matchup with his fill-in. This time Willie Harris got the call based on his .316 average against Kendrick. Batting third, he had a single and a double but was stranded in scoring position each time by Bay, and walked and scored in the eighth. Philadelphia again got the best of Pelfrey, who fell to 0-2 with a 9.47 ERA against the Phillies this season.