Mets 6, Phillies 3: Hefner Proves Hefty

Jeremy Hefner and Joe Blanton traded ineffective innings in the early going of this rain-dappled affair. A Jimmy Rollins double and wild pitch brought in a Phillies run in the top of the first, while an HBP and some shoddy fielding led to two Mets runs in the bottom half. Philly tied things up on a long homer from Brian Schneider in the top of the second, and the Mets retook the lead shortly thereafter on a pair of doubles from newly minted Met Omar Quintanilla and Mike Baxter.

Hefner settled in thereafter, then unsettled Blanton with a two-out no-doubt solo shot to the Acela Club in the bottom of the fourth, the first homer by a Mets pitcher since Johan Santana went deep back in 2010. After padding his own lead, Hefner didn't find trouble again until the top of the sixth, when a walk to Juan Pierre and a mishandled double led to a Philly run and put the tying run on third with nobody out. But with a monsoon threatening to strike at any moment, Hefner got a grounder, K, and flyout to keep the Mets ahead.

The Mets extended their lead when Scott Hairston hit a pinch-hit two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth. A lengthy rain delay interrupted action in the middle of the eighth, but it was of little consequence, as the Mets bullpen quieted the Phillies' bats fore and aft the downpour. The win evens this series and sets up a rubber game tomorrow evening betwixt Cliff Lee and Dillon Gee. Whee!

Full recap to come.

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