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Mets hope to have Wagner back vs. Phillies

Jul 23, 2008 - 10:11 AM Philadelphia (54-46) at Ny Mets (53-47) 7:10 pm. EDT

FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- The New York Mets had no problem beating the Philadelphia Phillies this season ... until All-Star closer Billy Wagner's shoulder failed him.

The Mets hope to have their closer back on Wednesday when the aim to rebound from a devastating loss to the Phillies that dropped them out of a tie for first place in the National League East.

New York was headed to its eighth win in 11 meetings with Philadelphia as Johan Santana threw eight outstanding innings and Carlos Delgado and Ramon Castro each homered to stake the Mets to a 5-2 lead entering the ninth.

However, in the end, the Mets' loss proved to be the Phillies' gain.

With the former Phillie Wagner out due to muscle spasms in his throwing shoulder, three relievers combined to give up six runs and victory turned into an 8-6 loss. So Taguchi tied the game with a pinch-hit, two-run double off Pedro Feliciano and reigning National League MVP Jimmy Rollins added a two-run double.

"I'd much rather be the guy out there," said Wagner, who underwent on MRI on Tuesday that showed no structural damage and is day-to-day.

Wagner's former team hopes a stint in the minors will prove beneficial to Brett Myers (3-9, 5.84. After serving as Philadelphia's closer last season, Myers struggled in his return to the rotation in 2008. The righthander allowed a major league-leading 24 home runs in 17 starts before accepting a demotion to Class AAA Lehigh Valley of the International League on July 1.

However, the righthander pitched well in the minors, going 1-3 with a 3.00 ERA in two starts with Lehigh and one with Class AA Reading of the Eastern League and is ready to help the Phillies beat their archrivals.

"I can't think of a better team for me to come back against," Myers told the team's official web site. "I don't like them. We're not supposed to like them. Nothing against the guys on the team -- they're our rivals. We like beating them; they like beating us."

One person who has had no problem beating the Phillies is John Maine (8-7, 4.22). The 26-year-old righthander is 4-0 with a 2.36 ERA in eight career starts against Philadelphia.

Maine left his last start against the Phillies on July 5 after allowing three runs and one hit in 5 2/3 innings with cramping in his left forearm, and did not factor into the decision in a 9-4 win. Maine may be still suffering from that condition, as he has failed to make it past the fifth inning in his past two starts.