RACHEL COHEN
AP Sports Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — The Phillies’ young relievers couldn’t keep them in it, and a close score quickly turned into a rout.
The Mets stomped Philadelphia 11-2 on Wednesday afternoon in what was a two-run game going into the bottom of the seventh. New York sent 10 men to the plate in the inning, scoring five insurance runs off the bullpen to take two of three in the series.
Jimmy Rollins, out of the lineup for the noon start after a night game, pinch-hit for Kyle Kendrick (5-11) to open the seventh and homered for the second straight day to pull the Phillies within 4-2. They had runners on first and third with two outs, but Jeurys Familia came on to retire Marlon Byrd.
With one out in the bottom of the seventh, the Phillies intentionally walked David Wright to bring up Lucas Duda, who was batting .153 against lefties. But he singled off Mario Hollands to put New York up 5-2.
Hollands’ replacement, Justin De Fratus, made an error later in the inning that led to two unearned runs.
“As of late the stuff hasn’t been as crisp,” manager Ryne Sandberg said of his relievers.
Ryan Howard broke out of an 0-for-12 slump with a two-out RBI double in the fifth that briefly put the Phillies up 1-0.
Juan Lagares opened the bottom of the inning with an infield hit when backup shortstop Andres Blanco double-clutched after ranging far to his left to field the grounder up the middle.
Ruben Tejada singled to bring up pitcher Zack Wheeler, who fouled off his first two bunt attempts. But with two strikes, he got the ball in play — and it was a good one, easily advancing the runners to second and third. Curtis Granderson walked to load the bases, then Kendrick’s wild pitch with Daniel Murphy at the plate tied the game. Three pitches later, Murphy put the Mets ahead 4-1 with his first homer since July 1.
“It happened quick,” Sandberg said. “(Kendrick) just wasn’t able to keep it at one or two runs there.”
Wheeler (6-8) gave up two runs and seven hits with four strikeouts in 6 2-3 innings — the sixth consecutive outing in which he allowed two runs or fewer.
Kendrick allowed four runs on seven hits in six innings.
“I felt pretty good about how I threw today,” he said. “It was just one bad inning.”
REVERE’S RIDES
Phillies CF Ben Revere showed off his speed by stealing third base in the fifth and ranging all over the outfield to make outs. He covers so much ground that Mets 1B Lucas Duda knew to stop watching when Revere tracked down his long drive to the wall in the fourth. Sure enough, Revere made a leaping catch to rob Duda of a home run.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: LHP Dana Eveland was back on the mound two days after he left the game when he was struck on the pitching elbow by a line drive. The reliever struggled with his control after replacing Wheeler with two outs in the seventh. He walked Chase Utley, who stole second then advanced to third on a passed ball. Eveland hit Howard and was taken out for Familia, who got the Mets out of the jam.
ON DECK
Phillies: LHP Cliff Lee (4-5) faces Nationals LHP Gio Gonzalez (6-6) as Philadelphia opens a four-game series in Washington on Thursday.
Mets: The Mets have Thursday off, then send LHP Jonathon Niese (5-6) to the mound when they open a four-game home series against the Giants on Friday.
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