Four times the crowd of 35,832 at Citi Field erupted while the Apple rose in center field and a Mets player jogged around the bases.
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NEW YORK (AP) _ A.J. Ellis got a big hit in his Philadelphia debut, breaking a seventh-inning tie with a two-run double Sunday that sent the Phillies to a 5-1 victory over the New York Mets. Mostly healthy at last after lagging through much of the summer as one of baseball’s weakest offenses, the Mets have totaled 31 runs while winning their past three games. He walked and scored in the seventh inning but was pinch-hit for in his second at-bat in the inning, as NY sent 11 men to the plate.
“We heard about his disappointment in L.A., but the minute he got here and I talked to him, he put it behind him, he was fine”, Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said.
Four homers and a brilliant effort by Noah Syndergaard powered the Mets to a 12-1 win over the Phillies on Saturday night. After safely reaching first base, Cabrera doubled over in pain and was immediately attended to by the Mets’ training staff and manager Terry Collins, but remained in the game.
Vince Velasquez and four relievers quieted a Mets lineup that was minus sluggers Yoenis Cespedes (quad) and Neil Walker (back).
Ellis struck out and grounded out in his first two at-bats.
“We’ll have to continue to monitor how they feel each day”, he said.
“At (24) years old, he’s got a lot to learn, but he’s got the stuff to be really good”, Mackanin said.
Ellis was acquired Thursday from the Los Angeles Dodgers in a trade for longtime Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz.
In striking out seven and walking two, Syndergaard improved to 3-0 in his last three starts with a 1.31 ERA and has given up three hits in his last 15 innings pitched dating back to the Mets 2-0 win at the Giants last week. Velasquez (8-6, 4.31 ERA) is 0-3 with an 8.86 ERA in four August starts but does have an impressive 29 strikeouts in 21 1/3 innings during that stretch.
“You’ve just got to keep fighting”, Collins said.
NY has posted at least nine runs in three straight for the first time since June 2012 – and scored nine or more in successive home games for the first time since September 2008. NOTES: The Mets will promote RHP Rafael Montero from Double-A Binghamton to start Monday’s series opener against the Miami Marlins.
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Mets: RHP Robert Gsellman makes his first major league start in the series finale Sunday. Gsellman, 23, was 1-5 with a 5.73 ERA in nine starts with Triple-A Las Vegas.
