NEW YORK (AP) — Pedro Martinez was anxiously watching the Phillies lead dwindle on a television in the
clubhouse when Eric Bruntlett put an end to his worries with an unassisted triple play.
Bruntlett became the second player in major league history to get the final three outs on one play
without any help, preserving Philadelphia’s 9-7 win over the Mets and making Martinez a winner in his
return to New York on Sunday.
"I was thinking it was going to be first and third, one run scored," Martinez said. All of a
sudden I see Bruntlett moving around.
"It was really shocking," Martinez added.
Shocking as that play was, it was just the culmination of a game of crazy occurrences.
Making his first start against the Mets since signing with Philadelphia on July 15, Martinez made his
first appearance on the field — as a batter.
The Phillies scored six times in the first inning off Oliver Perez on three-run homers by Jayson Werth
and Carlos Ruiz. Perez didn’t get his first out until he threw his 29th pitch.
The Citi Field crowd of 39,038 stood and cheered as Martinez walked to the plate in the Phillies’ road
gray-and-red uniform, a jarring sight for sure after he spent the previous four years with the Mets.
"The ovation, that’s exactly the response I expected because of the mutual bond I have here,"
Martinez said. "I respect them and I love them."
Martinez worked the count to 3-0 and Mets manager Jerry Manuel came out to remove Perez, bothered
recently by a tender right knee that sidelined him earlier this season. The move got a loud ovation, and
Perez (3-4) was soundly booed as he walked off the field having thrown 47 pitches — 20 strikes — and
getting just two outs.
"I’ve never seen something like that," said Martinez, who gave up four runs in six innings.
"I know (Perez) didn’t do his job but on a 3-0 count to take him out, it’s kind of weird."
Nelson Figueroa relieved and struck out Martinez (2-0) to end the 26-minute inning.
Angel Pagan then led off the Mets half with and inside-the-park homer.
His drive to the wall in left-center briefly got stuck under the padding of the wall. Center fielder
Shane Victorino threw his hands up, looking for a ground-rule double, as Pagan slowed into third, but
second base umpire Rob Drake allowed play to go on and Pagan raced home for his first career
inside-the-park homer.
Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said the issue wasn’t covered when the umpires went over ground rules
before the game.
"They never talked about that," he said.
Pagan, who had only three home runs coming, added another homer for the Mets, handing yet another
befuddling defeat. New York has found improbable ways to lose all year: Murphy dropped a fly ball in
left field, Ryan Church missed third base while rounding the bag, Castillo flubbed Alex Rodriguez’s
ninth-inning popup at Yankee Stadium.
In the top of the ninth, Charlie Manuel was ejected when he objected to the umpires overturning a trap
call, ruling Jeff Francouer made the diving catch — taking a triple away from Bruntlett.
"They did the right thing," Francoeur said.
Closer Brad Lidge took over to start the ninth with a 9-6 lead, and Ryan Howard and Bruntlett made
consecutive errors to pull the Mets to 9-7. On the next play, Murphy followed with an infield single up
the middle that went off the glove of a sliding Bruntlett, bringing up Francoeur with runners on first
and second.
With the runners moving, Francouer hit a sharp liner right at Bruntlett, who was at second to cover. He
made the catch, stepped on second and tagged Daniel Murphy for the 15th unassisted triple play in big
league history
"I didn’t know how to react. I didn’t know what to do," Bruntlett said. "The ninth inning
was wild. The whole game it seemed was strange."
HOWIE RUMBERG,AP Sports Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Pedro Martinez was anxiously watching the Phillies lead dwindle on a television in the
clubhouse when Eric Bruntlett put an end to his worries with an unassisted triple play.
Bruntlett became the second player in major league history to get the final three outs on one play
without any help, preserving Philadelphia’s 9-7 win over the Mets and making Martinez a winner in his
return to New York on Sunday.
"I was thinking it was going to be first and third, one run scored," Martinez said. All of a
sudden I see Bruntlett moving around.
"It was really shocking," Martinez added.
Shocking as that play was, it was just the culmination of a game of crazy occurrences.
Making his first start against the Mets since signing with Philadelphia on July 15, Martinez made his
first appearance on the field — as a batter.
The Phillies scored six times in the first inning off Oliver Perez on three-run homers by Jayson Werth
and Carlos Ruiz. Perez didn’t get his first out until he threw his 29th pitch.
The Citi Field crowd of 39,038 stood and cheered as Martinez walked to the plate in the Phillies’ road
gray-and-red uniform, a jarring sight for sure after he spent the previous four years with the Mets.
"The ovation, that’s exactly the response I expected because of the mutual bond I have here,"
Martinez said. "I respect them and I love them."
Martinez worked the count to 3-0 and Mets manager Jerry Manuel came out to remove Perez, bothered
recently by a tender right knee that sidelined him earlier this season. The move got a loud ovation, and
Perez (3-4) was soundly booed as he walked off the field having thrown 47 pitches — 20 strikes — and
getting just two outs.
"I’ve never seen something like that," said Martinez, who gave up four runs in six innings.
"I know (Perez) didn’t do his job but on a 3-0 count to take him out, it’s kind of weird."
Nelson Figueroa relieved and struck out Martinez (2-0) to end the 26-minute inning.
Angel Pagan then led off the Mets half with and inside-the-park homer.
His drive to the wall in left-center briefly got stuck under the padding of the wall. Center fielder
Shane Victorino threw his hands up, looking for a ground-rule double, as Pagan slowed into third, but
second base umpire Rob Drake allowed play to go on and Pagan raced home for his first career
inside-the-park homer.
Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said the issue wasn’t covered when the umpires went over ground rules
before the game.
"They never talked about that," he said.
Pagan, who had only three home runs coming, added another homer for the Mets, handing yet another
befuddling defeat. New York has found improbable ways to lose all year: Murphy dropped a fly ball in
left field, Ryan Church missed third base while rounding the bag, Castillo flubbed Alex Rodriguez’s
ninth-inning popup at Yankee Stadium.
In the top of the ninth, Charlie Manuel was ejected when he objected to the umpires overturning a trap
call, ruling Jeff Francouer made the diving catch — taking a triple away from Bruntlett.
"They did the right thing," Francoeur said.
Closer Brad Lidge took over to start the ninth with a 9-6 lead, and Ryan Howard and Bruntlett made
consecutive errors to pull the Mets to 9-7. On the next play, Murphy followed with an infield single up
the middle that went off the glove of a sliding Bruntlett, bringing up Francoeur with runners on first
and second.
With the runners moving, Francouer hit a sharp liner right at Bruntlett, who was at second to cover. He
made the catch, stepped on second and tagged Daniel Murphy for the 15th unassisted triple play in big
league history
"I didn’t know how to react. I didn’t know what to do," Bruntlett said. "The ninth inning
was wild. The whole game it seemed was strange."