Phils Demolish Mets

Robert Person pitched a four-hitter and hit his first career homer as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the New York Mets 10-1 Friday night.

Pat Burrell homered and tied a career-high with five RBIs for the Phillies, who snapped a four-game losing skid. Philadelphia entered two games behind Atlanta for first place in the NL East.

Mets starter Rick Reed left the game with a bruised left hand in the second inning after he was hit above the wrist by Jimmy Rollins` line drive. Reed was taken to a hospital for precautionary X-rays and the results weren`t immediately known.

New York also played most of the game without All-Star catcher Mike Piazza, who was ejected in the second inning for arguing a call at first base.

Todd Pratt, who replaced Piazza, homered with two outs in the ninth to spoil Person`s shutout bid.

Burrell, benched earlier in the week for lack of production, gave the Phillies a 4-0 lead in the first with a three-run homer. Reed (8-5) got two outs after Doug Glanville led off with a single, then ran into trouble.

After Glanville stole second, Scott Rolen walked and Travis Lee followed with an RBI single to left to make it 1-0.

Burrell then hit a 2-0 pitch into the left-field bullpen for just his 10th homer and first since July 4. The homer snapped an 0-for-11 streak.

Person (8-5) struck out six and walked one. He hadn`t pitched longer than six innings since tossing a complete game on May 19. Since losing to the Mets 9-0 on June 5, Person is 4-0 in his last eight starts.

Reed allowed six runs and five hits in 1 2/3 innings -- his shortest start this year. Reed gave up just three runs over 14 innings in his previous two starts.

Person gave the Phillies a 5-0 lead in the second when he hit a 1-2 pitch into the left-field bullpen. He was 4-for-32 with four RBIs this year prior to the homer.

Person got a standing ovation after a flyout to deep center in the eighth.

Philadelphia put it away with three runs after Rollins knocked Reed out of the game, getting an infield single on the liner off his wrist.

Rick White replaced Reed and allowed an RBI double to Bobby Abreu that made it 6-0. Burrell`s two-run single gave the Phillies an 8-0 lead. Abreu added a two-run homer off Donne Wall in the fourth.

Wall then had words with Rolen after appearing to throw a pitch at him after Rolen had stepped out of the batter`s box and called for time.

Game notes:
Burrell has hit seven of his 28 career homers against the Mets. ... The Phillies activated right-hander reliever Ricky Bottalico from the disabled list and designated right-hander Amaury Telemaco for assignment before the game. ... Burrell has two homers at Veterans Stadium this season. ... Piazza`s ejection was his second in 10 years, both coming this season.

Courtesy Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2001.

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Author: 6 ABC - Action News