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Recker's HR lifts Mets over Phils

Aug 11, 2014 - 10:26 PM Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Anthony Recker belted a tie-breaking three-run homer in the top of the seventh inning that propelled the New York Mets to a 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

Recker's blast off reliever Justin De Fratus capped a four-run inning that erased a 2-1 deficit for New York, which held on to register its 12th victory in its last 14 visits to Philadelphia. The Mets took three of the four matchups in this wraparound series.

Matt den Dekker delivered a game-tying RBI double in front of Recker's homer, while Jon Niese bounced back from a string of poor outings to toss seven solid innings and pick up his first win since June 28.

Niese (6-8) held the Phillies to two runs and five hits while striking out six. The lefty had gone 0-4 with a 5.76 ERA in four previous starts since returning from the disabled list following the All-Star break.

"I thought it was a big step for Jon," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "I thought he pitched a good game today. Got us through seven, which we needed because the bullpen was pretty shy today."

David Buchanan (6-6) had limited the Mets to a run on three hits over the first six innings, but was charged with two runs while failing to record an out in the deciding seventh.

Darin Ruf had a two-run homer for Philadelphia and Chase Utley came through with a pinch-hit RBI double in the ninth.

Buchanan had kept the Mets' bats mostly in check prior to the seventh-inning outburst, which began when the rookie hurler issued his lone walk of the afternoon -- a leadoff free pass to Juan Lagares. Den Dekker followed with a liner into the gap in right center, in which Lagares raced home from first without a throw to knot the score at 2-2.

"That late in a game, you can't walk guys to start an inning," Buchanan lamented.

De Fratus was then greeted by a Wilmer Flores single before Recker -- mired in an 0-for-19 skid -- ended an eight-pitch battle by walloping a hanging slider into the left-field seats.

"Obviously once [the count] got to 3-2 it was just a battle," said Recker. 'Just trying to get a pitch and see it and hit it, and fortunately I was able to hit it well."

Lagares threw out Domonic Brown at the plate on a Ben Revere single in the bottom of the seventh to maintain New York's three-run advantage, but the Phillies did manage to close the gap against Jeurys Familia in the ninth.

With the home team down to its final out, Cody Asche drew a walk and Utley sent a drive to the top of the wall in right that was initially ruled a home run but ultimately declared a ground-rule double, as replays showed a fan had reached over the fence to snare the ball out of mid-air.

Familia rebounded, however, to get Revere to fly out and notch his third save of the year.

Buchanan didn't allow a hit until Daniel Murphy doubled to lead off the fourth with the game still scoreless, with David Wright following with a sharp single up the middle to put the Mets ahead.

The lead didn't last long, as Ruf hammered a Niese fastball over the center- field wall with Carlos Ruiz aboard in Philadelphia's half of the fourth.

Game Notes

The Phillies' bullpen entered the game having allowed just one earned run over their last 24 2/3 innings ... Wright's RBI single extended his hitting streak to 10 games ... Murphy finished 2-for-4 for New York, while Revere had two of the Phillies' seven hits ... Philadelphia fell to 0-6-2 in its last eight series against NL East foes, going 9-19 over that stretch.