Phils Fall From First

Mike Piazza gave Steve Trachsel all the support he needed Friday night.

Piazza homered twice and Trachsel beat Philadelphia for the second time in a week, leading the New York Mets over the Phillies 6-1.

"Trachsie threw pretty well tonight and we gave him a few runs," Piazza said.

Piazza drove in three runs and Rey Ordonez drove in two as the Mets dropped Philadelphia out of first place in the NL East. The Phillies fell one game behind Atlanta, which beat Montreal 7-3.

Piazza hit a two-run homer off rookie Dave Coggin (1-1) for a 3-1 lead in the third, a drive that cleared the bleachers in left-center field and was estimated at 472 feet.

"I hit that ball well," Piazza said.

Piazza hit his 25th homer in the seventh off Wayne Gomes.

"I`m just glad to be swinging the bat better this month," said Piazza, who has six home runs and 17 RBI in his last 21 games.

After the game, the Mets traded relievers Turk Wendell and Dennis Cook to the Phillies for minor league pitchers Bruce Chen and Adam Walker. Philadelphia also traded Gomes to San Francisco for utilityman Felipe Crespo.

Piazza`s two drives gave him 126 home runs for the Mets, moving him past Todd Hundley for fourth place on team`s career list. Piazza has 26 career multihomer games, two this season.

Trachsel (5-10) allowed one unearned run and six hits in eight innings. He won his third straight decision. He is 3-0 with a 1.17 ERA since the All-Star break.

Trachsel, who struck out six and didn`t issue a walk, also beat the Phillies last Saturday.

Ordonez hit an RBI single in the second and doubled home a run in the fourth off Coggin.

Coggin allowed four runs on eight hits in five innings, striking out three and walking two.

"He had trouble locating his fastball. He was pitching behind and you pitch behind to big league hitters, they can hurt you," Phillies manager Larry Bowa said.

Coggin walked Robin Ventura with two outs in the third and Piazza followed with a towering fly over the bleachers in left-center.

Philadelphia scored in the first inning on Bobby Abreu`s RBI single. Doug Glanville reached on an error by second baseman Edgardo Alfonzo to set up the run.

Joe McEwing`s RBI single in the sixth off reliever Cliff Politte gave the Mets a 5-1 lead.

Game notes:
Coggin made his second career start against the Mets, and the Phillies have lost both games. He was not involved in the decision July 17 at Philadelphia. ... Alfonzo batted seventh for the Mets for the first time since April, 13, 1997. ... Jimmy Rollins extended his Phillies club record with his 27th consecutive stolen base in the third inning. ... Piazza now has 295 career homers as a catcher, sixth on the career list. Gary Carter is next up with 298.

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Author: 6 ABC - Action News