NEW YORK – Chase Utley led off the 11th inning with his second homer of the game, minutes after right fielder Jayson Werth saved Philadelphia with a diving catch as the Phillies beat the New York Mets 5-4 in the National League on Wednesday.
Philadelphia rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the seventh and dealt the Mets their sixth loss this season after they led by at least three runs.
The Mets stranded a season-high 16 runners, eight from innings seven through 10. Still, they nearly won it when David Wright hit the two-out liner into the right-center gap in the 10th that Werth caught.
Philadelphia is 6-3 on a 10-game trip, improving to a major league-best 22-9 away from home.
At Houston, Geoff Blum singled in the winning run with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth in Houston’s 2-1 win over Chicago Cubs.
Chicago wasted a dominant start from Carlos Zambrano, who allowed a run and three hits through eight innings.
Miguel Tejada led off the ninth with a single. After a walk and a fly ball that advanced Tejada to third, Angel Guzman (2-1) intentionally walked Lance Berkman to load the bases and Blum lined a single up the middle.
Geovany Soto hit a solo homer in the second inning for the Cubs.
At Atlanta, Adam LaRoche drove in two runs and Jeff Karstens pitched well in his new role as a reliever as Pittsburgh tripped Atlanta Braves, 3-2.
Charlie Morton was called up from Triple-A Indianapolis to start against his former team, but the Pirates pitcher lasted only one inning before a tight left hamstring ended his night.
Pittsburgh turned to Karstens (3-4), who was bumped to the bullpen by Morton’s promotion. The former starter gave up one run in 4 2-3 innings to earn the win, snapping Pittsburgh’s three-game losing streak.
Garret Anderson hit a two-run homer in the ninth for Atlanta, and Jair Jurrjens (5-4) took the loss.
At Miami, Rick Ankiel finished a single shy of the cycle and Colby Rasmus also homered as St. Louis snapped a five-game losing streak with a season high in runs on 18 hits in a 13-4 victory over Florida Marlins.
Brendan Ryan went a career-best 4 for 4, all singles, scored twice and drove in a run, while Tyler Greene had a career-high three hits. (AP)