Valdespin's three-run homer lifts Mets past Phillies

PHILADELPHIA -- The Mets don't look at losing their prized young shortstop to injury as a good thing. But look at what it got them Monday night.

Jordany Valdespin, called up Monday night when Ruben Tejada was placed on the disabled list with a strained right quadriceps, pinch hit a tiebreaking three-run home run off Jonathan Papelbon with two outs in the ninth inning to give the Mets a 5-2 victory over the Phillies at a stunned Citizens Bank Park.

It was the 24-year-old Valdespin's first major-league hit. He would not have been on the roster for the game and would have returned to Triple-A Buffalo had the Mets decided not to disable Tejada. But when Tejada reported to work still feeling the effects of the injury he suffered running to first base Sunday, the Mets made the move.

Valdespin, who had gone 0-for-6 in a brief stint before being sent down Saturday, rocketed an 0-and-1 pitch from the Phillies' closer into the rightfield stands after the Mets had rallied from 2-0 down against Roy Halladay.

"It's very exciting," said Valdespin, who was drenched in beer and water by his teammates in the exuberant postgame clubhouse. "So happy. First hit in the big leagues."

The Mets lost catcher Josh Thole in the eighth inning when he was hit in the head by the left shoulder of a sliding Ty Wigginton while making a tag at the plate. Thole, who is almost surely headed for the DL, reported feeling dizzy and was being evaluated by the Phillies' team doctor for concussion symptoms, according to Mets assistant general manager John Ricco.

The Wigginton play was a big one for two reasons: It helped the Mets keep the score tied at 2 going into the ninth and also brought in Mike Nickeas to replace Thole. It was Nickeas who doubled with two outs in the ninth to bring Valdespin to the plate.

"When I see Nickeas hit [the double], I think, 'I'm the man right now,' " Valdespin said. " 'I'll hit the ball through the middle.' I see that he make the mistake and then I hit the ball well."

The Mets fell behind 2-0 after two innings but tied it in the sixth on David Wright's two-out, two-run double to left against Halladay, who had allowed only one hit through the first five.

"Any time you go out and win a game that Doc starts and Pap comes in in the ninth, that's a big victory," said Wright, who had been 3-for-23 (.130) against Halladay.

"That was an absolutely tremendous ballgame," manager Terry Collins said. "From start to finish."

The game was still 2-2 in the ninth in part because of a controversial play involving Justin Turner, who was filling in for Tejada in his first big-league start at the position (Valdespin is slated to start Tuesday night).

The Phillies had the bases loaded and one out in the seventh when Hunter Pence grounded a potential double-play ball to second. Daniel Murphy bobbled it before flipping to Turner, upsetting the timing of the play. Turner's relay throw was a bit late to get Pence at first, and the go-ahead run appeared to score.

But Turner already was coming across the bag when Murphy made his flip, so when Turner made his return throw to first, he was way past the bag on the rightfield side of second base.

Unfortunately for the Phillies, so was Shane Victorino. He slid way out of the baseline in an attempt to upset Turner. But Victorino slid so far away from the base that umpire Ron Kulpa called interference. That made it an inning-ending double play for the Mets and a run taken off the board for the Phillies.