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Pagan's walk-off single vaults Mets past Phillies

Apr 11, 2008 - 5:29 AM By Doug Mittler PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- Willie Randolph calls Angel Pagan a "high-energy guy." On a night when the New York Mets may have been growing tired, Pagan provided a much-needed boost.

Pagan singled home Jose Reyes with the winning run in the bottom of the 12th inning, lifting the Mets to a 4-3 victory Thursday over the Philadelphia Phillies in the rubber game of a three-game series.

Reyes doubled to right-center field against Tom Gordon (0-2) with two outs before Pagan singled up the middle for his third hit of the game.

Reyes barely beat the throw from center fielder Jayson Werth in a close play at the plate, evading the tag by catcher Chris Coste to end a game that lasted just two minutes short of four hours.

"They only seem long when you're losing," Randolph said. "We gave the fans a good game to watch."

Ryan Church had a two-run single and Carlos Beltran an RBI base hit for the Mets, who overcame home runs by Pedro Feliz and Ryan Howard to defeat the Phillies for the second straight time after losing the previous nine meetings.

Pagan, who had a strong spring, is hitting .370 with a team-high nine RBI in eight games. With Moises Alou sidelined following hernia surgery, the 26-year-old Pagan has gotten the chance to play regularly in left field.

"When you work hard in spring training, everything goes well and you want to carry it into the season," Pagan said. "I feel like I did in spring training. I never put pressure on myself. Whatever happens, happens."

Pagan's night ended in celebration, but the Phillies insisted Reyes was out at the plate.

"I tagged him before he touched the plate," Coste said. "It's that simple. Obviously, it's not an easy call for the umpire."

Jorge Sosa (1-0), the Mets' seventh pitcher, notched the win by throwing one pitch, getting Feliz to hit into a force play to end the 12th. Sosa had replaced Scott Schoeneweis, who got Chase Utley to ground into an inning-ending double play with two on in the 11th.

"We had plenty of opportunities. We couldn't get the right hit at the right time," Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said.

Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins, the reigning National League MVP, did not start his second straight game due to a sprained ankle but struck out as a pinch hitter in the ninth.

After walking the first batter he faced with one on and none out in the seventh, Pedro Feliciano struck out the next three to keep New York ahead, 3-1. But Aaron Heilman allowed the Phillies to tie it in the eighth.

Howard hit a mammoth 450-foot home run to center field to lead off the inning. After Pat Burrell walked and Geoff Jenkins singled, pinch runner So Taguchi scored on a groundout by Feliz.

"It's a long season," Heilman said. "I hope I get (the bad outings) out of the way early."

Feliz had belted a leadoff home run off starter John Maine an inning earlier for Philadelphia's first run. Maine allowed one run and five hits with five walks in six-plus innings.

Phillies starter Adam Eaton surrendered three runs and five hits in six frames with five strikeouts.

The Mets built a 3-0 lead on a two-run single by Church in the fourth and an RBI base hit by Beltran in the sixth.

Making just his second appearance of the season, New York closer Billy Wagner pitched a scoreless ninth.

Reyes, who lead the majors in stolen bases in 2007, recorded his first in 23 games dating to last season in the eighth inning.