“The waves of emotion are getting farther and farther apart, which is a good thing”, Ellis said. “It feels good to help put your team ahead and contribute to a team win”. Ellis, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday, is expected to start Sunday.
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“Colon just seems to own us”, Philadelphia manager Pete Mackanin said. “I liked what I saw from him”. “I’m sure he feels more comfortable now”.
Syndergaard also hit a double – his sixth extra-base hit of the season (one shy of Tom Seaver’s 1972 record for most extra-base hits by a Mets pitcher) – and ducked out of the way of a Cespedes foul ball, just before his home run.
“I think the energy in that room right now goes back to the last two months of last season”, outfielder Yoenis Cespedes said through a translator after Saturday’s win.
NY also lost hot-hitting shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera in the first inning.
He exited with soreness in his left knee, a problem area that has sidelined him twice before this season.
Mets manager Terry Collins indicated that his three injured players might require daily checkups for the remainder of the season. “It’s like (the Mets) know what’s coming”.
Earning his 64th start of the season, Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard surpassed former teammate Chase Utley to move into sole possession of seventh place on the franchise’s all-time list for games played, 1,552. The California native took over for Niese in that game to throw 3 2/3 scoreless innings.
Asdrubal Cabrera homered for the third time in two games, a two-run drive that put NY ahead against Hellickson (10-8). But, as Saturday night’s game showed, when the Mets kept on scoring after Hellickson left and the unreliable, ever-changing middle relievers entered, the pitching staff as a whole has been an unmitigated disaster in August. First pitch for tomorrow’s game is scheduled for 1:10 pm at Citi Field. The Mets have outscored the Phillies 21-5 in the first two contests to improve to 66-63 overall and pull within 2 1/2 games of the St. Louis Cardinals for the second wild card.
Phillies: Bourjos was hit by a 97 miles per hour fastball on the left wrist. After crouching down in pain behind home plate, he went to first base. Collins said Rivera will start taking reps in the outfield to give the team another right-handed bat for the outfield.
The Phillies are 4-1 in their last five game threes of a series, and 1-5 in Velasquez’s last six starts in game three of a series. He was trailing 2-1 when Neil Walker worked a nine-pitch walk to load the bases with two outs in the fifth.
Mets: RHP Rafael Montero (0-0, 11.57 ERA) has the hard task of facing All-Star RHP Jose Fernandez (13-7, 2.91) in his first big league start of the season as the Mets begin an important four-game series with Miami at Citi Field.
Montero, a forgotten man after a forgettable series of stints with the Mets, has rediscovered success at Double-A Binghamton, to an extent.
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BRIEFS: The Mets placed Justin Ruggiano on the disabled list with a left shoulder injury, and recalled infielder T.J. Rivera.
