Flushing, NY (Sports Network) - Jimmy Rollins and Domonic Brown clubbed solo
home runs to back a masterful Cliff Lee, as the Philadelphia Phillies posted a
3-1 win over the New York Mets in the opener of a three-game set at Citi
Field.
Lee (6-7) continued his recent hot stretch on the mound, limiting the Mets to
one run on seven hits over eight innings. He walked one and struck out 10.
The left-hander has allowed just four earned runs while going 4-0 over his
last five starts.
Jonathan Papelbon worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his 35th save of the season.
The Phillies are trying to shake off a disappointing series in Houston, where
they dropped three of four to the MLB-worst Astros on the heels of a seven-
game winning streak.
With Monday's triumph, Philadelphia moved to within 3 1/2 games of the idle
St. Louis Cardinals for the National League's second wild-card spot.
R.A. Dickey (18-6) gave up three runs -- two earned -- on five hits with two
walks and eight strikeouts in seven innings for New York, which resumed its
struggles at home.
The Mets have lost seven straight as the host and haven't scored more than
three runs in 14 consecutive home games, a franchise record. They have dropped
nine of 10 overall.
The Phillies scored a first-inning run without a hit. Rollins struck out to
begin the game, but reached on a passed ball. An errant pickoff attempt moved
Rollins to second and he took third on a groundout before Chase Utley brought
him home with a sacrifice fly.
A replay review awarded Rollins his 21st home run, a one-out blast in the
fifth, but the Mets got on the board in the home half of the inning.
Mike Nickeas, batting eighth in the New York lineup, surprised the Phillies
defense with a perfectly placed bunt. A Dickey sacrifice advanced Nickeas into
scoring position and he wound up scoring on Daniel Murphy's two-out single, a
blooper over the head of Rollins.
Brown went deep leading off the seventh.
Game Notes
Lee recorded his 1,500th career strikeout in the bottom of the second inning
... Dickey (205) became the fifth Mets pitcher in the last 20 years to reach
200 strikeouts in a season. He joined Johan Santana (2008), Pedro Martinez
(2005), Al Leiter (2000) and David Cone (1992) ... The Mets signed a two-year
player development contract with the Las Vegas 51s. The Pacific Coast League
club will serve as the Mets' new Triple-A affiliate.
The Sports Network