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Philadelphia Phillies starter Brett Myers stifled the Mets’ lineup with a brutal curve ball Friday night to lead the Phils to a 3-0 win that puts the team two games back of the Mets in the N.L. East.
Myers struck out 10 in 8 innings of work while allowing just 3 hits and 2 walks.
Mets starter Mike Pelfrey also pitched brilliantly, but the Phils were able to manufacture an unearned run in the first and Greg Dobbs added a two-run homer in the seventh on a blast that sailed just an inch or so out of the reach of a leaping Ryan Church. The ball nicked the tip of Church’s glove before landing over the right-field fence.
Pelfrey lost his no-hitter in the first inning when Shane Victorino singled to right, making it 7,461 New York Mets games without a no-no. Brian Schneider’s throw on Victorino’s steal attempt sailed into the outfield, allowing Victorino to reach third. Chase Utley then drove him home on a ground-out.
Pelfrey lasted seven innings, yielding just four hits and two walks (both to Ryan Howard) while striking out four.
The Mets were able to get a couple of hits off Phils closer Brad Lidge in the ninth and brought the tying run to the plate, but the team could not finish the job.
Reliever Ricardo Rincon made his debut in a Mets uniform, becoming only the second player in team history to don jersey No. 73. The other 73? Kenny Rogers, remembered either for being the only Met to pitch a perfect game before joining the club (Aug. 28, 1994 – Texas Rangers 4, California Angels 0) or for walking Andruw Jones with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 11th of Game 6 of the 1999 National League Championship Series. (Visit our friends at Mets By The Numbers for more numeric fun.)
Tomorrow’s probables are Jamie Moyer for Philadelphia and Pedro MartÃnez for New York.
