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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
NEW YORK (AP) -- Mike Lieberthal is making a habit of late-inning heroics against the NL East's elite.
|  | | Doug Glanville starts to slide home with the game-winning run. |
One night after beating Atlanta with a three-run homer in the
eighth, the Philadelphia catcher singled in the winning run in the
10th as the Phillies beat the New York Mets 3-2 Tuesday.
"I just feel really good at the plate and I'm seeing the ball
well," Lieberthal said.
The last-place Phillies beat the first-place Braves three out of
four and won the series opener against the Mets, who they've
defeated six times in seven meetings, dating to last season.
"It's a good sign because we beat two teams in our division,"
Lieberthal said of the Phillies, who at 28-40 still trail the
Braves by 14 games and the second-place Mets by 9½. "Maybe our
focus is a little better against the Mets and the Braves."
The Phillies, who won two of three against New York at home in
April, rallied from a 2-1 deficit against closer Armando Benitez.
Benitez (1-3), who had not allowed a run in 17 innings since May
6, yielded a game-tying solo homer to Pat Burrell in the ninth
before losing it in the 10th.
"I blew this game," said Benitez, who has given up six homers
this season. "I feel bad. I can't make excuses."
Doug Glanville opened the Phillies 10th with a double, but
Benitez struck out Ron Gant and Scott Rolen before Lieberthal lined
a single to center on a 1-2 pitch.
"I hung a couple of pitches -- hanging sliders," Benitez said.
"They hit them real good."
Burrell's fourth homer and Benitez's third blown save in 19
chances spoiled a fine performance by New York starter Mike Hampton
and saved Phillies starter Paul Byrd from a tough loss.
"Once I got it up there, it seemed the wind helped it out a
little bit," Burrell said.
Chris Brock (3-4) got the last two outs in the ninth and Jeff
Brantley worked the 10th for his ninth save in as many chances.
Mike Piazza staked New York to a 2-0 lead in the first with his
19th homer and Hampton pitched seven strong innings.
Hampton struggled early, walking six in the first four innings,
but was able to work out of trouble until his final inning.
"The bottom line is they got one run," Hampton said. "I don't
care if I walked 50, they scored one run."
The Phillies made it 2-1 in the seventh when Kevin Sefcik, who
had two hits, and Alex Arias opened with singles. Following a bunt
by pinch-hitter Desi Relaford, Doug Glanville hit a sacrifice fly.
"We got those two runs early and we didn't add on," Mets
manager Bobby Valentine said. "We felt them coming and we couldn't
hold them off."
Kevin Jordan had the other hit off Hampton, singling in the
sixth.
Sefcik started in right field because regular Bobby Abreu was
benched for arriving late to the ballpark. Abreu, who manager Terry
Francona said was a repeat offender, struck out in the ninth as a
pinch-hitter.
Hampton finally got nice weather to pitch in. He was limited to
47 pitches on June 11 at Yankee Stadium in a game that was rained
out in the third inning. His next start in Chicago three days later
was cut short after one inning (32 pitches) because of a lengthy
rain delay.
Hampton took his full rest this time to allow a left-groin
strain to heal.
"He had good movement, he didn't have great location,"
Valentine said.
Byrd, an All-Star last season, pitched well in his return to the
majors following a trip to Triple-A Scranton. Byrd allowed two runs
on six hits in six innings.
"I was aggressive and pitched inside and I hadn't been doing
that," Byrd said. "Even when Piazza hit the home run, I didn't
want to start nibbling. I just wanted to go right back at them."
He struggled through most of his nine starts before being sent
down on June 2, compiling a 7.86 ERA. But for Scranton, Byrd was
2-0 in three starts with a 1.73 ERA.
Byrd was recalled Sunday when Andy Ashby went on the disabled
list with an infected finger.
Game notes
Hampton, who leads NL pitchers with 11 hits, failed to get
one for the seventh time in 15 starts this season. He went 0-for-2
but did hit a shot to deep center field that was tracked down.
Hampton hit safely in seven of 14 at-bats before Tuesday. ... Byrd
is 5-11 since last year's All-Star Game. ... Piazza threw out
Jordan, attempting to steal second base in the sixth. It was the
18th runner he has caught this season. ... Lieberthal caught Jay
Payton going for second in the second -- the 20th runner he has
nailed.
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Baseball Scoreboard
Philadelphia Clubhouse
NY Mets Clubhouse
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Oakland 8
Baltimore 5
NY Yankees 3
Boston 0
Detroit 18
Toronto 6
Cleveland 4
Chi. White Sox 1
Texas 5
Minnesota 2
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Anaheim 6
Seattle 4
Tampa Bay 3
Florida 8
Milwaukee 2
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Philadelphia 3
NY Mets 2
Cincinnati 3
Colorado 2
Atlanta 11
Chicago Cubs 4
Los Angeles 9
Houston 6
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Arizona 1
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