Wigginton Lifts Hamels, Phillies Past Mets, 8-4
NEW YORK (AP) — Ty Wigginton helped Cole Hamels keep the Philadelphia Phillies rolling a day after they faced another injury to a critical player.
With Roy Halladay's status still uncertain, Wigginton drove in a career-high six runs with a homer and a pair of two-out hits and Hamels won his eighth straight decision as Philadelphia beat the New York Mets 8-4 Monday.
"You know when you miss someone like Halladay, you're missing him, but there's nothing you can do about it," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "It might get hard, but we're definitely not going to fold tent. We're going to try to outplay everybody."
Halladay was pulled Sunday after two innings because of shoulder soreness. The Phillies say they will send the right-hander to see a doctor on Tuesday. The two-time Cy Young winner is 1-3 in his last five starts.
Hamels (8-1) pitched well enough to match St. Louis' Lance Lynn for the major league lead in wins. He said he did not place any extra pressure on himself because of Halladay's situation.
"We're not going to put any added stress on what we have to do," Hamels said.
Hamels struck out six and allowed seven hits in eight innings to help the Phillies win for the fifth time in six games following a season-long four-game losing streak.
"He came in after the loss yesterday and did it again," Wigginton said. "Cole's been stepping up all year and he did it again today."
Scott Hairston and Vinny Rottino each hit tying two-run homers for the Mets, who had a three-game winning streak end.
"It was one of those days when they got better pitching and their bats were a little hotter," David Wright said.
Down 5-4, the Mets threatened in the eighth when pinch-hitter Andres Torres doubled. With one out and Torres on third, Daniel Murphy grounded out and then Wright also grounded out to end the inning. Wright has gone hitless in his last 14 at-bats, dropping his average to .373.
"David showed he's human, he can fall into a little funk just like everyone else," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "He's been so good for so long that you come to expect that he's always going to get a hit and we know that's not going to be the case."
Hamels said facing Wright took everything he had left. He finally retired the Mets star on a changeup, a pitch he hadn't intended to throw during the at-bat.
"If I would have thrown that any time earlier, I think he would have crushed it," Hamels said. "There's a reason he's hitting .380 or whatever. He's definitely a lot better hitter than the last couple of years."
Bobby Parnell (1-1) gave up a leadoff single to Jimmy Rollins in the seventh and Wigginton, who played for the Mets from 2002-2004, singled him home two outs later for a 5-4 lead.
Wigginton added a no-doubt, three-run homer to left in the ninth off Manny Acosta to blow open a close game and cap a day in which he went 3 for 3 with two walks. Wigginton also had a two-run double in the third.
"He had a big day today," Manuel said. "Did all the hittin' for us."
John Mayberry put the Phillies up 4-2 with a long home run to left field after Wigginton walked to lead off the sixth. It was the second and last hit Jonathon Niese gave up.
Niese left before any more damage could be done, having walked five and allowed four earned runs in five-plus innings while throwing 115 pitches on a sticky day. Mets pitchers had combined for 28 scoreless innings before the Phillies scored.
In the Mets third, Justin Turner got a two-out hit of his own, then sprained his ankle in a rundown.
Rob Johnson was held up at third when Philadelphia right fielder Pence fired home, and Turner tried to take second. Catcher Brian Schneider threw to second baseman Freddy Galvis to start the rundown, and shortstop Jimmy Rollins chased Turner back to first.
Turner lunged for the bag and tumbled into foul territory behind the base, where he writhed in pain as Mets staff came out to assist him. After about a minute, he was assisted off the field.
Wright moved to shortstop from third base, playing the position for the second time in his major league career. He played there in the eighth and ninth innings last Aug. 7, when Jose Reyes and Daniel Murphy were hurt in a game. In the fifth inning Monday, Wright went to his left to scoop a grounder and threw sharply to first, prompting cheers.
"Moving to a new position, you kind of have to go through everything in your mind like checkpoints. If the ball's hit here, I have to do this, and if the ball's hit there, I have to do that," Wright said. "I have to worry about base stealers, double plays, things I would not ordinarily have to worry about at third base."
NOTES: Jonathan Papelbon pitched the ninth for Philadelphia. ... Phillies C Carlos Ruiz was scratched from the lineup several hours before the first pitch and replaced by Schneider. ... Wright and Murphy both made fielding errors in the first inning, but Niese escaped with no damage. ... I'll Have Another trainer Doug O'Neill, owner Paul Reddam and jockey Mario Gutierrez plan to be at the Mets-Yankees game June 8 — less than 24 hours before their Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner takes his shot at the Triple Crown.
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