Juan Lagares, Eric Young Jr. spur Mets rally
Eric Young of the Mets gestures after hitting a double in the fourth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies. (June 21, 2013) Credit: Getty Images
PHILADELPHIA -- From the dugout, Terry Collins thought for sure that Juan Lagares didn't have a chance. From the pitcher's mound, Jeremy Hefner admitted to "holding my breath the whole time."
But from centerfield, Lagares knew he had read the ball off the bat immediately. He knew he had moved back a few steps just in case Carlos Ruiz put a charge into a 3-and-1 pitch. And he knew he would make the running catch that helped the Mets earn a 4-3 victory over the Phillies Friday night.
"This is a good win for us," said Collins, who watched Lagares race down Ruiz's drive to deep center with two outs in the fifth, keeping the Phillies from blowing open a tie game with the bases loaded.
The Mets rallied from an early 3-0 deficit behind Lagares, who went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, including one that knocked in the go-ahead run in the sixth. He is hitting .326 with four doubles in his last 11 games.
Lucas Duda scored from first base on Lagares' double, sliding under Ruiz's tag at the plate.
Meanwhile, Eric Young Jr. played a direct role in helping the Mets score three of their four runs. He doubled before scoring on David Wright's single in the fourth. In the fifth, Young lined a two-run single off the Phillies' Cole Hamels (2-11).
Hefner (2-6) picked up the victory. Though he allowed 10 hits, he limited the Phillies to three runs (two earned), all of them in the second inning. Hefner struck out six in six innings.
Scott Rice, Carlos Torres and Bobby Parnell (12th save) each worked a scoreless inning. The bullpen has pitched to a 1.41 ERA in the last nine games.
Notes & quotes:The Mets recalled righthander Greg Burke from Triple-A Las Vegas to replace lefthanded pitcher Jon Niese, who landed on the 15-day disabled list with a partially torn rotator cuff . . . After hitting two homers and going 3-for-5 Thursday night, Ike Davis homered twice Friday night to raise his average to .333 in 11 games with Las Vegas. Davis, who was 2-for-3 with a walk Friday night, has four homers and eight RBIs . . . Catching prospect Travis d'Arnaud (fractured toe) hopes to be cleared to run on land in the next few days, assistant general manager John Ricco said.
