The Phils hit four home runs against Mets’ ace Johan Santana last night.

And lost.

It’s just the second time in 221 major league starts that a team had taken Santana yard four times in a game. And it still was not enough for the Phils to get the win.

The Mets hit three home runs of their own. Phils’ starter J.A. Happ was not especially sharp, but he had the lead when he left the game, thanks to a two-run homer from Jimmy Rollins that propelled to the Phils to a
4-3 lead in the sixth. But reliever Clay Condrey could not hold the lead and the Mets went on to a 6-5 win.

The loss cuts the Phils lead over the New Yorkers to 2 games.

They send Cole Hamels to the hill tonight to face Mike Pelfrey. Two of Pelfrey’s four wins this year have come against the Phils.

Tonight the Phils need their ace to pitch like one. Hamels needs to be the stopper. A win and the Phils are back up by three and know that at the worst they will leave New York up by two.

Lose tonight and the lead is down to one game and the Phils start to wonder about their hold on the NL East.

The ball’s in your court, Mr. Hamels.