Conforto sparks Mets to close win over Phillies
PHILADELPHIA -- Michael Conforto homered and scored three runs, Yoenis Cespedes drove in a pair of runs, and the New York Mets held on for a 5-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday night.
The Mets (6-3) won their fourth consecutive game in completing a three-game sweep of the Phillies (3-6).
Zack Wheeler (1-1) stymied Philadelphia batters for much of the night. The right-hander surrendered two hits through his first five innings as his offense built a 5-0 lead on Phillies starter Vince Velasquez (0-2).
The Phillies chased Wheeler from the game in the sixth after Brock Stassi and Cesar Hernandez hit back-to-back, one-out singles to put runners at first and second with one away. Wheeler was able to strike out Howie Kendrick for the second out but Odubel Herrera drew a four-pitch walk, prompting Mets manager Terry Collins to come get Wheeler in favor of Hansel Robles to face slugger Maikel Franco.
Franco took Robles' first-pitch fastball to the deepest part of the ballpark in center field for a grand slam to get the Phillies within 5-4.
Relievers Jerry Blevins and Fernando Salas got the Mets to the ninth inning, where Addison Reed notched his third save while filling as closer for the suspended Jeurys Familia.
Wheeler was charged with three runs in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked one.
Velasquez encountered similar troubles as he had in his season debut Friday. His strikeout numbers were there, but his pitch count was too high and mistakes too many. He unraveled a bit in the fifth inning with his team already trailing 2-0.
Velasquez started the fifth inning by hitting Travis d'Arnaud and walking Wheeler and Conforto to load the bases for Asdrubal Cabrera, who hit a two-run single. Cespedes followed with a sacrifice fly for a 5-0 lead.
The Mets didn't hesitate to jump on Velasquez. Conforto's leadoff single wouldn't go to waste as Cespedes roped a one-out, line-drive double down the left field line that scored Conforto easily.
Two innings later, Velasquez let a 1-2 fastball catch too much of the plate, and Conforto belted it deep into the left-centerfield seats.
Velasquez yielded five runs on five hits in five innings. He struck out seven and walked four.
NOTES: The Mets have hit a home run in eight consecutive games and have 12 home runs in their past four games. They have 10 home runs in three road games after hitting a franchise-record 106 homers on the road last year. ... After optioning LHP Adam Morgan to Triple-A Lehigh Valley after a blowout loss Tuesday, the Phillies made a corresponding move Wednesday, recalling RHP Luis Garcia. ... An MRI on Philadelphia RHP Clay Buchholz showed a partial tear of the right flexor pronator mass. Buchholz will seek a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews next week.