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Rollins' homer lifts Phillies over Mets

Jun 8, 2007 - 4:32 AM FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- The Philadelphia Phillies may not be the team to beat in the National League East, but Jimmy Rollins is doing his best to at least keep them in the race.

Rollins hit a three-run home run off Aaron Heilman in the seventh inning as the Phillies rallied for a 4-2 victory over the New York Mets, who suffered yet another injury to an outfielder.

The Phillies have won the first two games of the three-game series to move within six games of the first-place Mets in the NL East.

"It was just a hit. Unfortunately, we weren't playing for first and we're still far back," Rollins said. "It was still a great place to do it. We have to win games."

The Mets have dropped three straight games for the first time this season and may have lost the services of right fielder Endy Chavez, who hurt his left hamstring while grounding into a double play to end the seventh. Chavez will undergo an MRI exam Thursday.

"It doesn't look good. He went down pretty hard," Mets manager Willie Randolph said. "I'm sure it's going to be the DL for him."

Rollins said in the offseason interview that the Phillies were the "team to beat" in the NL East, even though the Mets ran away with the division in 2006. A slow start by the Phillies only brought more attention to the comments, although Philadelphia has played better in recent weeks.

"He's a strong little guy and a big hitter," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "That's called backing up what you have to say."

Rollins has three homers against the Mets this season and 17 in his career. He reached base four times Wednesday with his home run, two singles and a walk.

Heilman (5-3) was unable to protect a 2-0 lead in the seventh, surrendering his fourth homer of the season.

"It was a mistake. Last year my mistakes were off the plate or down," Heilman said. "I did a better job of putting guys away."

Aaron Rowand walked and Abraham Nunez singled before both runners advanced on a sacrifice by Rod Barajas.

Pinch hitter Pat Burrell struck out, but Rollins lined a 1-2 pitch from Heilman over the right field fence for his 10th homer. Rollins was the league leader in home runs early in the season, but had gone 159 at-bats without one, tying his longest drought of his career.

It only got worse for the Mets in the seventh, who had runners on second and third with no outs off Geoff Geary. Ryan Howard made a diving stop on a ground ball by pinch hitter Julio Franco, but Ruben Gotay froze momentarily off third base and failed to come home.

"I didn't have a good read and didn't want to take a chance," Gotay said.

After an intentional walk to Jose Reyes, Chavez grounded into a double play, grabbing his left leg as he ran to first.

"I felt a pop and something went wrong in my leg," Chavez said. "I've never had anything like this. It really hurts."

Outfielders Shawn Green and Moises Alou already are on the disabled list for New York.

Adam Eaton (6-4) improved to 5-0 against the Mets, allowing two runs and five hits in six innings, including a two-run homer to Carlos Beltran.

"He was aggressive and kept throwing his fastball," Manuel said. "That's what makes him good."

Geary pitched the seventh, Ryan Madson retired the side in order in the eighth and Antonio Alfonseca the ninth for his third save.

The Mets wasted six scoreless innings by Orlando Hernandez, who allowed three hits with four walks and three strikeouts. In three starts since coming off the disabled list, "El Duque" has allowed just two runs in 19 innings.

Beltran hit his first home run since May 13 to lead off the fourth when he sliced an 0-1 pitch that bounced off the left field wall and over the fence. Beltran, who returned from a three-game absence Tuesday due to a bruised knee, had gone 57 at-bats without a homer, his third-longest drought as a Met.

It was the first home run by a Mets outfielder since Chavez connected against the Yankees on May 18.

The Mets had a chance for a second run in the fourth, but right fielder Shane Victorino threw out Carlos Delgado trying to score on a fly ball by Gotay.

"It's a game of chances. He's got to take a chance and I took a chance," Victorino said. "I'll come up throwing every time."

Delgado drove in the second run New York run with a groundout in the sixth.

The Phillies added a run in the eighth when Chase Utley singled off Scott Schoeneweis and later scored on a single by Rowand off Guillermo Mota.