Phillies fall to Mets, playoff chances all but over

If there was some false hope left in this lost season, it was extinguished by the Mets who hammered B.J. Rosenberg. The Mets beat the Phillies in extra innings, 9-5, after roughing up Rosenberg for four runs in the tenth for the race for third place in the NL East.

“You make really bad pitches, you get hit and you get in trouble,” Rosenberg said.

The Phillies, who had a four-game winning streak snapped, appeared to be well on their way to another victory until the eighth inning, which has been a cruel frame for the Phillies in 2012. Antonio Bastardo blew a 5-4 lead with two out.

The Phillies, who could only muster six hits, gave Vance Worley a 4-1 advantage in the bottom of the first, courtesy of Ryan Howard’s 11th career grand slam. Mets starter Chris Young loaded the bases for the Phillies, courtesy of two walks and a hit by pitch.

Worley, who is 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA in his last five starts, struggled again and was lifted after four-and-a-third innings, after only throwing 60 pitches. Worley gave up four runs on nine hits.

“Today I made sure I got the ball over the plate, assuming they would hit the ball to guys and they didn’t,” Worley said. “Mechanically, everything’s fine. It’s just a matter of getting pitches where I need them.”

Worley has battled bone chips in his right elbow this season, but he won’t use the discomfort as an excuse for his recent problems.

“It’s not that (the bone chips),” Worley said. “I’m not locating the way I need to. It’s just a matter of making sure I can make pitches and make them make contact to guys instead of through the hole.”

Charlie Manuel will continue to start Worley every fifth day.

“He tells me he’s fine,” Manuel said. “The trainer tells me he’s fine.”

The Phillies’ offense wasn’t fine once it chased Young from the game. The Phillies couldn’t score against the New York bullpen, which is the worst in the National League.

The woebegone Mets have won six of seven games at Citizens Bank Park in 2012.