Mets Can’t Sweep Phillies

The Mets were attempting on Thursday afternoon to sweep their first series in more than two months. They failed, but they still beat the Phillies two out of three, which is something of an achievement these days.

The Mets jumped out to the earliest lead possible — Mike Baxter led off the game with a home run, his second homer in three games.

Scott Hairston made it 2-0 in the second with a solo blast deep into the seats in left. Hairston now has 15 home runs on the season.

The Phillies cut the lead in half in the third when Jimmy Rollins doubled with two outs and came around to score on a Kevin Frandsen single.

John Mayberry, Jr. led off the fourth inning with a single and he scored when Ty Wigginton doubled to left to tie the score at two.

The Phillies took their first lead of the day in the fifth — Frandsen led off the inning with a double, moved to third on a ground out and scored on a Ryan Howard sacrifice fly to make it 3-2.

Jonathon Niese did not have his best stuff, but he went six innings, allowing three runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and a walk.

Mets lose 3-2 and travel to Miami with a chance to bury the Marlins in last place in the NL East.