Phils Fall to Mets

Tsuyoshi Shinjo homered, tripled and drove in three runs as the New York Mets beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-2 Thursday night behind another strong outing from Steve Trachsel.

With All-Star catcher Mike Piazza sitting out because of a nagging abdominal strain, Shinjo went 3-for-4 and scored two runs to boost a New York offense that has struggled all season even with Piazza in the lineup.

Shinjo hit a three-run homer in the first inning off David Coggin, one of three rookies in the Phillies` starting rotation as they try to beat out Atlanta in the NL East race.

Philadelphia remained one game behind the Braves, who lost at home to Montreal.

The Mets, who have won nine of 12, passed Florida to move into third place in the NL East for the first time since May 7.

Trachsel (8-11) worked seven innings, giving up four hits and striking out nine. He did not walk a batter, improving to 6-1 with a 2.76 ERA in his last nine starts.

Shinjo, who came to the Mets this year after 10 seasons in Japan, needed just a double for the cycle when he came to the plate in the seventh against Jose Santiago. With the crowd buzzing, Shinjo flied out to center field, bringing the fans to their feet momentarily as the ball left the bat.

Shinjo also made a nice catch near the wall in left field to end the sixth and received a standing ovation as he jogged back to the dugout. Rey Ordonez tripled in the second and scored on Trachsel`s single.

Vance Wilson, starting for Piazza, drove in two runs with a third-inning groundout and a fifth-inning sacrifice fly.

Trachsel, demoted to the minors in May after early-season struggles, allowed solo home runs to Pat Burrell and Doug Glanville in the fifth.

He kept his focus throughout, even when a balloon fluttered behind the mound while dangerous Scott Rolen batted in the sixth. Trachsel calmly walked over and popped the balloon with his spikes, drawing a roar from the crowd.

Rick White pitched the final two innings to finish the five-hitter.

Coggin (4-4) gave up five runs and seven hits in three innings.

Game notes:
Phillies closer Jose Mesa was available after serving a two-game suspension for hitting St. Louis` Jim Edmonds with a pitch on Aug. 19. ... Attendance was 33,734. The Yankees drew 42,537 for a day game in the Bronx. ... Tennis player Justin Gimelstob, who won his first-round match Wednesday at the U.S. Open right across the street, threw out the first pitch. Gimelstob is a native of nearby Morristown, N.J. ... Speedy Mets OF Jay Payton stole just his second base of the season in the fifth inning. ... Edgardo Alfonzo went 2-for-4 for New York.

Courtesy Asociated Press. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2001.

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Author: 6 ABC - Action News