Phillies 3 - 1 Mets
Final
  for this game

Backed by homers, Lee stymies Mets

Sep 18, 2012 - 6:38 AM

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Flushing, NY (Sports Network) - Jimmy Rollins and Domonic Brown clubbed solo home runs to back a masterful Cliff Lee, as the Philadelphia Phillies posted a 3-1 win over the New York Mets in the opener of a three-game set at Citi Field.

Lee (6-7) continued his recent hot stretch on the mound, limiting the Mets to one run on seven hits over eight innings. He walked one and struck out 10.

The left-hander has allowed just four earned runs while going 4-0 over his last five starts.

Jonathan Papelbon worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his 35th save of the season.

The Phillies are trying to shake off a disappointing series in Houston, where they dropped three of four to the MLB-worst Astros on the heels of a seven- game winning streak.

With Monday's triumph, Philadelphia moved to within 3 1/2 games of the idle St. Louis Cardinals for the National League's second wild-card spot.

"We're running out of games. Every game is very important at this point and we need to win every one," Lee said. "I don't know if that's reality, but we need to win every game."

R.A. Dickey (18-6) gave up three runs -- two earned -- on five hits with two walks and eight strikeouts in seven innings for New York, which resumed its struggles at home.

The Mets have lost seven straight as the host and haven't scored more than three runs in 14 consecutive home games, a franchise record. They have dropped nine of 10 overall.

"You feel for him because all he does is give himself a chance to win the baseball game," Mets manager Terry Collins said about Dickey.

The Phillies scored a first-inning run without a hit. Rollins struck out to begin the game, but reached on a passed ball. An errant pickoff attempt moved Rollins to second and he took third on a groundout before Chase Utley brought him home with a sacrifice fly.

A replay review awarded Rollins his 21st home run, a one-out blast in the fifth, but the Mets got on the board in the home half of the inning.

Mike Nickeas, batting eighth in the New York lineup, surprised the Phillies defense with a perfectly placed bunt. A Dickey sacrifice advanced Nickeas into scoring position and he wound up scoring on Daniel Murphy's two-out single, a blooper over the head of Rollins.

Brown went deep leading off the seventh.

Game Notes

Lee recorded his 1,500th career strikeout in the bottom of the second inning ... Dickey (205) became the fifth Mets pitcher in the last 20 years to reach 200 strikeouts in a season. He joined Johan Santana (2008), Pedro Martinez (2005), Al Leiter (2000) and David Cone (1992) ... The Mets signed a two-year player development contract with the Las Vegas 51s. The Pacific Coast League club will serve as the Mets' new Triple-A affiliate.






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