Phillies Fall Two Games Behind

Steve Trachsel had another strong outing, Rey Ordonez homered and Armando Benitez finally retired Pat Burrell.

With unexpected support like that, the New York Mets couldn`t lose.

Mike Piazza drove in two runs, and Trachsel allowed three runs in seven innings as the Mets beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-3 Saturday night.

Ordonez hit his first homer since Sept. 18, 1999, and Benitez ended the game by striking out Burrell, who had been 3-for-3 with three homers and two walks against the Mets closer.

"He slayed the dragon," Mets manager Bobby Valentine said. "To have all those things happen, it`s a good sign that good things are on the way."

Philadelphia has lost five of six to fall two games behind the first-place Atlanta Braves in the NL East.

The Mets improved to 7-3 since the All-Star break, but remain in fourth place.

Piazza, ejected in the second inning of Friday night`s 10-1 loss, put New York ahead to stay with a two-run double in the third, and Tsuyoshi Shinjo went 4-for-4 for the Mets.

Burrell and Marlon Anderson hit solo shots for the Phillies.

"Trachsel was getting his breaking ball over and we couldn`t get anything going," Phillies manager Larry Bowa said.

Trachsel (4-10) gave up five hits, struck out six and didn`t walk any in his second solid start in a row. The right-hander yielded just four hits in eight innings of a 3-0 win over Toronto on Monday.

Trachsel, who struggled most of the season, has allowed three runs or fewer in five of his last seven starts.

"Confidence, location is the biggest thing," Trachsel said. "I worked on locating my fastball better. I had to stay aggressive with everything."

John Franco pitched the eighth, and Benitez struck out the side in the ninth for his 23rd save in as many chances.

Franco allowed a two-out triple to Jimmy Rollins, but retired Bobby Abreu on a grounder to third to preserve a one-run lead. First baseman Todd Zeile made a nice scoop on a short-hop throw by Robin Ventura.

"That was a big defensive play by Zeile," Valentine said. "If Bobby is safe, it ties the game and it`s a whole different game then."

Burrell, who snapped an 0-for-11 slump with a three-run homer in the first inning Friday, gave the Phillies a 1-0 lead with his 11th homer in the second. Eight of Burrell`s 29 career homers have come against the Mets, including four this season.

The Mets tied it in the third when Ordonez hit a 1-0 pitch into the left-field bullpen off Randy Wolf (5-10). Three of Ordonez`s five career homers are against the Phillies.

After Trachsel flied out, Joe McEwing and Edgardo Alfonzo singled, and Benny Agbayani struck out. Piazza then ripped a double into the left-field corner, scoring McEwing and Alfonzo for a 3-1 lead.

Rollins had a chance to get Alfonzo at the plate, but his relay throw hit him in the back.

"I was sitting on one pitch," Piazza said. "I saw the pitch early and did a good job of hitting it."

The Phillies cut it to 3-2 in the third on a sacrifice fly by Doug Glanville that scored Gary Bennett, who led off with a double.

New York made it 4-2 on an RBI single by Agbayani in the fifth. McEwing tripled to start the inning and scored on Agbayani`s liner to right-center.

Anderson`s homer in the seventh cut the deficit to 4-3. It was Anderson`s career-best 10th homer, one more than cleanup hitter Scott Rolen.

Jay Payton`s RBI single off Wayne Gomes in the ninth made it 5-3, and Ed Vosberg walked Robin Ventura with the bases loaded to force in the final run.

Wolf allowed four runs and nine hits in seven innings. He struck out six walked none.

"It was tough," Wolf said. "I had that one inning where it fell apart. I was throwing strikes. My location was better."

Game notes:
The Mets recalled right-hander Jerrod Riggan from Triple-A Norfolk and outrighted right-hander Donne Wall. ... The four hits were a career best for Shinjo. ... The Mets` fourth run was the 25,000th in franchise history. ... Rollins` triple was his ninth, most in the NL.

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Author: 6 ABC - Action News