• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Maine helps Mets complete doubleheader sweep of Phillies

Jun 30, 2007 - 3:41 AM PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- John Maine turned the battle of promising young pitchers into a one-sided contest.

Maine allowed one earned run and four hits in eight-plus innings and Carlos Beltran hit a pair of solo home runs to lead the New York Mets to a 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies and a sweep of Friday's day-night doubleheader at Citizens Bank Park.

New York won the opener, 6-5.

Using pinpoint control to shut down Philadelphia's high-powered offense, Maine (9-4) struck out six without issuing a walk. At one point, the 26-year-old retired 13 batters in a row.

"I was just making them hit the ball," Maine said. "We did a good job of not letting them get on base by walks. That's the key. Let them hit the ball and let the defense do their thing."

Maine improved to 4-0 lifetime against the Phillies, allowing only nine earned runs in 38 innings. He departed after allowing a leadoff double by Jimmy Rollins in the ninth.

"I thought Maine pitched a heck of a game," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "He was very aggressive. He got ahead of the hitters and pretty much had control of the game. He's pitched against us quite a bit and he's been pretty successful. We've yet to hit him hard."

After Maine's performance, Mets manager Willie Randolph campaigned for his inclusion on the All-Star team.

"I know he's been an All-Star for us," Randolph said. "That's all I care about. He's made a lot of progress. It'd sure be nice if they can find a spot (for him). I think he's pitched well enough to be there."

Conversely, Phillies lefthander Cole Hamels (9-4) struggled from the outset, constantly falling behind hitters and finishing with 110 pitches in five innings. The 23-year-old surrendered three runs and five hits while tying a career high with five walks.

"I'm normally used to getting a first-pitch strike and then going from there, but I wasn't able to do that," Hamels said. "I just put too much stress for myself to get that first strike instead of just letting it happen."

After pitching out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the first inning, Hamels issued a four-pitch walk to Jose Reyes in the second. Ball four was thrown behind Reyes to the backstop for a wild pitch, allowing Shawn Green to score the first run.

"I really couldn't get in there and get a comfort zone," Hamels said. "I was throwing all over the place. It's just something that was a little bit unlike me."

Beltran led off the third inning by hitting a 1-0 pitch from Hamels over the left field wall for a 2-0 lead.

"(Hamels) likes to throw changeups, so I was sitting on one of those and he threw it right down the middle," Beltran said.

Philadelphia used the speed of Michael Bourn to halve the deficit in the fourth. Bourn led off with a single, stole second and took third on catcher Paul Lo Duca's throwing error before scoring on Chase Utley's sacrifice fly. The steal was Bourn's 13th in as many attempts this season.

Bourn also kept Hamel's pitching line from being worse with two leaping catches in right field.

Beltran struck again during his next at-bat in the fifth, when he lofted a fly down the left field line that just cleared the wall for his second blast of the game and 12th of the season, giving the Mets a 3-1 advantage.

For Beltran, it was his 19th career multi-homer game and second this season.

"It's always great every time you contribute," Beltran said. "Thank God I was able to contribute to the team with those two home runs."

Damion Easley hit a two-run homer off reliever Geoff Geary in the seventh inning to complete the scoring for New York, which increased its lead over Philadelphia in the National League East Division to five games with the sweep.

"We know the Phillies are contenders, so series like this are really important," Beltran said. "We can't afford to lose games against them because they can gain ground."

Utley plated Rollins with a single in the ninth and reigning NL MVP Ryan Howard walked to bring the tying run to the plate. But former Phillie Billy Wagner struck out Aaron Rowand and Mets nemesis Pat Burrell to preserve the victory.

"It pushes them a little further back (in the division), but it's still so early in the year," Wagner said. "You can't get enough distance. These guys are known for their second-half pushes. We need to go out tomorrow and be prepared to win another ballgame."

Philadelphia was swept of a doubleheader for the first time since 2002, when Florida posted 6-4 and 2-1 victories on September 10.