The Philadelphia Phillies lost to the New York Mets, 6-3, in Game 2 of the three game series at Citi Field following a 64-minute rain delay midway through the eighth inning. Joe Blanton (4-5) struggled for the Phillies. He gave up nine hits, two walks and six earned runs in just five innings. His counterpart for the Mets, rookie Jeremy Hefner (1-2) started six innings, and gave up three earned runs off six hits. He also hit a solo home run off Blanton, the first of his career, in the fourth inning to give the Mets a 4-2 lead.
Jimmy Rollins put the Phillies up 1-0 in the top of the first inning when he scored on a wild pitch to Hunter Pence. The run marked the last time Philadelphia held a lead during the game. Brian Schneider tied the game, 2-2, with a solo home run to right field in the second. Hunter Pence doubled in the sixth to score Juan Pierre and cap the Phillies' scoring at three runs.
New York scored two runs off singles from David Wright and Ike Davis in the first inning to take a 2-1 lead. Mike Baxter doubled in the second to put the Mets up 3-2, before Hefner came through with the shot to left field in the fourth. Scott Hairston pinch-hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning to give the Mets a 6-3 lead. The shot was his seventh of the year, and seventh career as a pinch hitter.
The loss puts the Phillies, now 26-25 overall, five games back from the first-place Washington Nationals in the NL East. Game 3 of the series will begin at 7:10 p.m. ET on Wednesday. Cliff Lee (0-2, 2.82 ERA) will take on the Mets' Dillon Gee (4-3, 4.92) at the mound.
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