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Mets shoot for series victory against Phillies

Apr 14, 2012 - 2:43 PM (Sports Network) - The New York Mets finally won a game without David Wright this season. They may have to do so again this afternoon with their star third baseman's status again unknown for the second of three straight against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Wright hasn't played since suffering a broken right pinky while sliding back to the base on Monday versus the Nationals. He's been held out of New York's last three games and could land on the disabled list as early as today if his finger does not improve.

New York had updated Wright's status earlier in the week by saying he could "resume baseball activities as tolerated," but Wright said on Friday there is a little more to it. His inability to grip a bat or throw a baseball is what is keeping him off the field, not pain tolerance.

"It's not just me trying to suck it up," Wright old the Mets' website. "I have to think about the team, too. Because I'm not doing the team any good if I go out there and can't be at a certain level. If I go out there and I'm just terrible, it does me no good. It does the team no good."

New York was fine without Wright on Friday. After losing back-to-back games to the Nationals in the first two outings without Wright, the Mets got to Phillies starter Cliff Lee early en route to a 5-2 win. Ruben Tejada and Daniel Murphy began the game with doubles, with Tejada coming in to score, and Jason Bay connected on a two-run homer in the frame, his first longball since Sept. 8.

"I wish I could have back the pitch to Bay. It was a bad pitch down the middle," Lee said, adding, "Other than that, I felt pretty good. I wish I could've kept the ball in the ballpark."

Lee allowed four runs on five hits with seven strikeouts over seven innings, while Mets starter R.A. Dickey improved to 2-0 on the strength of seven innings of one-run ball. He also struck out seven.

The Phillies managed 11 hits in the game, but scored just twice in having a two-game win streak snapped. Jimmy Rollins had three hits and Freddy Galvis hit his first career home run.

Jon Niese will try to create a little more excitement for the Mets this afternoon after flirting with a milestone in his debut on Sunday.

In his first start after signing a five-year, $25.5 million extension, the left-handed Niese carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning on Sunday versus the Braves before eventually getting charged with four runs -- three earned -- on two hits and four walks with seven strikeouts. He earned the win with his six-inning start, part of New York's season-opening sweep of Atlanta.

"There was quite an adrenaline rush the first couple of innings. I think that's what allowed my fastball command to be a little erratic," said Niese, who walked two in the first frame. "I settled down and got a good feel for the baseball in the third and I just felt good."

The 25-year-old is 3-4 with a 4.07 earned run average in eight career starts versus the Phillies, but struggled in three starts in Philadelphia last year. Niese went 0-3 at Citizens Bank Park with a 10.05 ERA, yielding 16 runs over 14 1/3 innings.

After getting some votes for National League Rookie of the Year honors a season ago, 24-year-old Vance Worley made his season debut for the Phillies on Sunday in Pittsburgh and pitched well in a no-decision. He allowed only one run over six innings on five hits and a walk, but the bullpen failed to hold a lead in a 5-4 loss.

Worley, 24, faced the Mets five times a season ago, including four starts, and went 3-1 with a 3.13 ERA.

Philadelphia won 11 of its 18 games against New York a season ago, taking six of nine at home.