Burrell Batters Mets

Pat Burrell is a lock against Armando Benitez. In five career plate appearances, he has three home runs and two walks.

"He threw me a fastball that got a lot of the plate," Burrell said Monday after his two-run homer off the closer in the 10th inning led the Philadelphia Phillies over the New York Mets 5-3.

Burrell also homered against Benitez (3-2) last June 20 and 21. The first tied the score in the ninth as the Phillies won 3-2 in 10 innings. The second was a grand slam in Philadelphia`s 10-5 win. "He`s due to get him," Mets manager Bobby Valentine said.

Mike Piazza had tied the score with a one-out homer in the ninth off Jose Mesa (1-0). Piazza has homered in consecutive games after hitting just 10 in his first 43.

"Piazza has the ability to change a lot of games," Burrell said.

Bobby Abreu opened the 10th with a walk off Benitez and stole second. Scott Rolen struck out and Burrell connected on an 0-2 pitch for his fifth homer.

Benitez refused to talk with reporters.

"If he made the pitches the way he pitched to Rolen, he would have gotten him out," Valentine said.

Rheal Cormier pitched the 10th for his first career save after Mesa blew a save for just the second time in 16 chances.

The defending NL champions, 10 games behind the NL East-leading Phillies, were looking to make up ground in the opener of a three-game series _ the first of 19 games against Philadelphia.

"They`re playing well as a team," Piazza said. "Whether it stands up over the long haul, it remains to be seen."

Philadelphia, which improved the NL`s best record to 31-18, had gone ahead in the sixth when Tsuyoshi Shinjo misplayed a line drive into a triple and Gary Bennett followed with a tiebreaking sacrifice fly.

Randy Wolf gave up just two runs despite allowing six hits and six walks in six innings.

Al Leiter, who had won both his starts since he was activated from the disabled list on May 18, gave up three runs and seven hits in six innings.

With the score 2-all in the sixth, Burrell led off with a liner that was misjudged by Shinjo, getting just his 15th start this year in center. The ball soared over his glove by about a foot and rolled nearly to the warning track.

One out later, Bennett flied to Shinjo as Burrell easily beat the throw.

Philadelphia went ahead in the first when Jimmy Rollins doubled to left, stole third and scored on Bobby Abreu`s single.

Wolf walked four in the fourth, including Benny Agbayani with the bases loaded for the go-ahead run. New York had tied the score when center fielder Doug Glanville let Robin Ventura`s single bounce past him for an error that scored Todd Zeile, who began the play on first.

Ventura took third on Shinjo`s single, but Rey Ordonez missed a squeeze bunt attempt and Ventura was tagged out by Bennett, the catcher. After the walk to Agbayani, Edgardo Alfonzo lined out.

Glanville tied it in the fifth with his eighth homer.

Philadelphia had runners at first and second with no outs in the eighth. John Franco relieved and retired Travis Lee on a popup, then struck out Bennett and Tomas Perez.

Notes:
Phillies had at least one hit in every inning except the ninth. ... Glanville has hit safely in 18 of his last 22 games. His homer with the second of his career against the Mets. ... Rollins` stolen base in the first inning was 14th of the season and ninth straight without getting caught.

(Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Article continues below

---

advertisement

---

Author: 6 ABC - Action News