Jordany Valdespin made the most of his first career major league hit, launching a three-run home run in the ninth inning off of Jonathan Papelbon to give the New York Mets a 5-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night. Valdespin was called up before the game after Ruben Tejada landed on the disabled list, and was pinch-hitting for pitcher Tim Byrdak.
Byrdak earned the win after retiring the only batter he faced to leave one man on in the eighth inning. Roy Halladay started and pitched seven innings for the Phillies, recording seven strikeouts and giving up two earned runs and five hits. Papelbon walked Ike Davis and gave up a double to Mike Nickeas before turning Valdespin into an unlikely hero.
The Phillies took a 2-0 lead off of Jonathon Niese after two innings. Jimmy Rollins hit a double on Philadelphia's first at-bat of the game and eventually rounded home on a John Mayberry Jr. sac fly. Placido Polanco capped the Phillies' scoring in the second inning with a double to score Carlos Ruiz. Niese settled down afterwards, retiring six of his next eight batters faced. He gave up five hits and two earned runs, and struck out five in five innings of work.
Both of Halladay's earned runs came in the sixth inning. He retired the first two batters he faced in the inning, but got himself into some trouble when he walked Andres Torres and gave up a Kirk Nieuwenhuis single. David Wright hit a double to tie the game at two runs apiece.
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