Phillies Fall To Mets 3-1
NEW YORK (AP) — Bartolo Colon breezed through eight snappy innings and the New York Mets got homers from Curtis Granderson and Michael Conforto, extending their dominant run against the Philadelphia Phillies with a 3-1 victory Monday night.
After throwing seven shutout innings last Wednesday at Philadelphia during New York's four-game sweep, the 42-year-old Colon (12-11) was one better this time. He struck out nine, walked one and yielded four harmless singles, pushing his scoreless streak to 16 innings.
The beefy right-hander tossed an inning Saturday against Boston on his regular throw day to spare a tired bullpen, his first relief appearance since April 2011 with the Yankees. And he even helped himself at the plate Monday, hitting a two-out single in front of Granderson's 23rd homer.
New York improved to 13-1 against the last-place Phillies this season (7-0 at home) with its 10th consecutive win over its division rival. The NL East leaders have won 24 of 29 versus Philadelphia.
Colon was lifted for a pinch-hitter after throwing 73 of 100 pitches for strikes — and closer Jeurys Familia immediately loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth. But he broke Jeff Francoeur's bat on a run-scoring double play, then won an eight-pitch standoff with Andres Blanco.
Blanco nearly hit a tying homer, but threw his head back in disappointment when his drive curled just foul in the right-field corner. Familia fanned Blanco with a 99 mph fastball for his 36th save in 41 attempts, ending a crisp game that took only 2 hours, 23 minutes.
Conforto hit a solo shot off fellow rookie Jerad Eickhoff (1-2) in the fifth, an opposite-field drive to left-center. Colon singled for his career-best seventh hit of the season, and Granderson homered to right.
Eickhoff, acquired from Texas in the trade for Cole Hamels, allowed four hits over seven innings in his third major league start. He's lost the past two to Colon, who has won all four of his outings vs. thePhillies this year and is 7-1 against them in two seasons with the Mets.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Phillies: Oft-injured RHP Chad Billingsley (flexor strain) has been shut down for the season, assistant general manager Scott Proefrock said. Billingsley went 2-3 with a 5.84 ERA in seven starts. He has been on the DL since July 19. "We took a flyer on him," Proefrock said. "It just didn't work out." No surgery was recommended for Billingsley at this point, Proefrock said. ... The team plans to call up three players from the minors when rosters expand Tuesday. Some of the September call-ups will likely be pitchers brought in to eat innings and help preserve Philadelphia's top young arms at the major league level, Proefrock said. "I don't think you're going to see a lot of moves made because the guys that are here are the ones that need to continue to play and get reps," he explained.
Mets: 1B Lucas Duda (lower back) has yet to begin swinging a bat and there is no target date for his return, manager Terry Collins said. The team initially thought Duda would be able to come off the DL when he's eligible Sunday. ... Rookie LHP Steven Matz (partially torn lat muscle) also silenced Phillieshitters, allowing one hit over 5 1-3 shutout innings against their Reading affiliate for Double-A Binghamton. Matz threw 78 pitches in his fourth rehab start. The next step for him is a return to the big league rotation. ... Matz and RHP Erik Goeddel (strained right elbow) will be activated from the DL before Tuesday night's game, the Mets said.
UP NEXT
Mets LHP Jonathon Niese (8-9, 3.95 ERA) starts the middle game of the series against RHP Aaron Harang (5-14, 4.79), who is 0-3 in five outings since beating Atlanta on July 30. New York has won Niese's last eight starts vs. the Phillies.
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