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Alou backs Galvine's 293rd win

Apr 18, 2007 - 6:15 AM PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- Moises Alou was all Tom Glavine needed to record win No. 293.

Alou hit his first two home runs of the season and Glavine survived six innings as the New York Mets posted an 8-1 victory over the stumbling Philadelphia Phillies.

Glavine (3-1), second behind Greg Maddux on the active all-time wins list and fifth all-time among lefthanders, allowed a run, six hits and five walks in six innings to improve to 28-17 all-time vs. Philadelphia on a night when the game-time temperature was 46 degrees with a 25-miles-per-hour wind.

"When it's that cold, that windy, you're basically just kind of in survival mode," Glavine said. "You don't get a consistent feel, so it's hard to get that rhythm going."

The 41-year-old allowed three runs and four hits in six frames in a 5-3 win over Philadelphia on Wednesday. In this one, Glavine allowed the first two batters to reach in the fifth and sixth innings, but escaped both frames unscathed. He also was aided by three double plays.

"We made a bunch of good defensive plays tonight," Glavine said. "There was no question that the double plays were a huge part of it."

After David Wright extended his franchise high-tying hitting streak to 24 games with a single in the second inning, Alou hit the first pitch from Philadelphia starter Freddy Garcia, who was making his season debut, over the left field fence for a 2-0 second-inning lead.

"I hit the first ball pretty good," Alou said. "I kind of looked at (Pat) Burrell to see if I hit it good enough to go."

Garcia (0-1), acquired from the Chicago White Sox this offseason in a multi-player trade, spent the first two weeks of the season on the disabled list with tightness in his biceps.

"It's good to be back, but I'm not happy with the result," Garcia said.

The Mets knocked Garcia from the game in the fifth. A two-out double by Carlos Beltran, the third New York hit of the frame, plated Glavine for a 3-1 lead. Garcia departed after intentionally walking Carlos Delgado. Geoff Geary entered and struck out Wright to escape the bases-loaded jam.

Garcia, was charged with three runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings and 95 pitches. He walked two and struck out six. The 30-year-old righthander was 17-9 with a 4.53 ERA in 2006.

After Philadelphia squandered a two-on, none out opportunity in the sixth, Alou drilled a hanging breaking ball from Geary 10 rows deep into the left field seats for a 4-1 edge.

"He's strong, man," Mets manager Willie Randolph said. "Moises, with no (batting) gloves in this kind of weather, it's pretty impressive. He crushed two of those balls. He's off to a nice start."

In the bottom half of the frame, Alou made a diving catch to end the inning and prevent a run from scoring.

"That's a part of the game that I really take pride in," Alou said of his defense. "I usually anticipate what's going to happen and I had a great jump on that ball."

Philadelphia, which entered batting .223 with runners in scoring position, was 0-for-13 in this contest. Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell failed to advance a combined 16 runners out of the 3-4-5 slot.

"It is frustrating," Utley said. "We had some opportunities tonight. Again, we didn't capitalize on them. Bottom line, they scored more runs than we did."

"If Utley and Howard don't hit, what difference does it make?" Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "They will hit. They're special hitters. I think at times, they might want it too much. At the same time, when you're not hitting, you have a tendency to try too hard."

New York catcher Paul Lo Duca left in the fourth inning with a right index finger injury. X-rays were negative.