NEW YORK — Scott Hairston, subbing for ailing All-Star Carlos Beltran, hit a long homer and drove in a career-best five runs as the New York Mets hammered Philadelphia Phillies ace Cole Hamels yet again in an 11-2 victory Saturday.
Daniel Murphy also went deep and Jonathon Niese pitched seven strong innings to help the depleted Mets snap a three-game skid. Fielding a makeshift lineup minus its four biggest bats, New York rapped out 15 hits and improved to 4-7 this season against the NL East leaders, who own baseball's best record.
Beltran sat out with the flu and a high fever, so manager Terry Collins inserted a not-so-secret weapon against Hamels (11-5).