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Sports

Banged-up Mets continue set with Phillies

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

The New York Mets are getting thin at shortstop with Ronny Cedeno (calf), Ruben Tejada (quad) and Justin Turner (ankle) all going down with injuries.

Turner was the latest victim of the injury bug, forcing All-Star third baseman David Wright to play shortstop in Monday's series-opening loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. The Mets hope to overcome a banged-up middle infield tonight when they get back to work in the second portion of this three-game set at Citi Field and .

Cedeno could return to his usual spot at shortstop on Tuesday, while Tejada is not expected to see action until this weekend. Turner went 1-for-2 before his injury and Wright moved to shortstop in the fourth inning. X-rays taken on Turner's ankle were negative, and he needed assistance off the field. Mets manager Terry Collins believes Turner will miss a few weeks.

"We're thin at shortstop, obviously, and it's tough to see him go down, especially with the way he's been swinging the bat lately," Wright said on the club's website. "It seemed like he found something. He's been a big contributor off the bench. He got a chance to play every day, and he was playing really well, so it's tough to see."

After the game the Mets announced that shortstop Omar Quintanilla was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo.

Vinny Rottino and Scott Hairston both hit two-run homers off Phillies starter Cole Hamels in the 8-4 setback, while Jonathan Niese did not figure into the decision by giving up four runs in five innings. Bobby Parnell was saddled with the loss in relief, as he surrendered the go-ahead run in the seventh.

"I didn't have my good stuff, I didn't have good command," said Niese.

New York had won three straight and six of eight games before its Memorial Day loss and is 3-2 on an 11-game homestand. It will also entertain St. Louis for four games in Flushing, NY and is tied with Miami at 2 1/2 games off the NL East lead.

Jeremy Hefner will try to pitch the Mets back into the win column when he takes the mound Tuesday. Hefner is 0-2 with a 6.17 ERA in three games (1 start) this season and previously pitched in Thursday's 11-5 loss to San Diego in which he was tagged for six runs and nine hits in 3 2/3 frames. The righty will face the Phillies for the first time.

Philadelphia is expected to find out what's bothering Roy Halladay's right shoulder on Tuesday after he left Sunday's 8-3 loss to the Cardinals. He threw just 36 pitches.

Hamels has been the ace of this staff with Halladay healthy or not and became the first pitcher to eight wins yesterday afternoon. Even though he gave up a pair of two-run homers, Hamels improved to 8-1 and won his fifth straight start. The lefty allowed seven hits over eight innings and was bailed out by Ty Wigginton, who set a career-high with six RBI and cracked a three-run homer in the ninth inning.

"I really started to feel good again lately and knew it was just a matter of time," Wigginton said.

John Mayberry hit a two-run homer for the Phillies, who won for the fifth time in six games and are tied with Atlanta for last place in the division -- four games behind the Washington Nationals. Phillies catcher, and arguably the most consistent hitter, Carlos Ruiz rested his tight right hamstring and could be back in the lineup tonight. Brian Schneider will resume duties behind the plate if Ruiz is unable to go.

Taking the mound tonight for the Phils will be Joe Blanton. Blanton has put together a pair of awful outings in which he's allowed 13 runs and 19 hits in 8 2/3 innings in losses to Boston and St. Louis. In Thursday's 10-9 win over the Cardinals, Blanton did not record a decision and gave up seven runs and 10 hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Blanton is 4-4 with a 4.55 earned run average in 10 games (9 starts) this season and did not figure into the decision of a 7-4 loss to the Mets on May 8. He yielded four runs in 6 2/3 innings that day. In 10 career starts against the Mets, the right-hander is 3-1 with a 3.71 ERA.

New York has won five of seven meetings with Philadelphia this season and swept a three-game series in south Philly from May 7-9. The Mets are 8-3 in the past 11 contests against the division-rival Phillies.