PHILADELPHIA — Rod Barajas homered twice, Jonathon Niese pitched seven impressive innings and the surging New York Mets routed the Philadelphia Phillies 9-1 on Friday night for their eighth consecutive victory.
David Wright and Jeff Francoeur also homered for the Mets, riding their longest winning streak since a 10-game run in July 2008.
Coming off a 9-1 homestand that produced a surprise lead in the NL East, New York dominated its first meeting this season with the rival Phillies, winners of two consecutive pennants.
With the Phillies already down big in the ninth, Brad Lidge was hit hard in his first outing of the year.
Francoeur came out in the seventh with a bruised left elbow, soon after he was hit by a pitch from Danys Baez. In the eighth, Mets rookie Jenrry Mejia plunked Chase Utley on the leg.
Niese (1-1) shut down Philadelphia’s powerful lineup, allowing one run and four hits. He matched a career high with seven strikeouts. The left- hander yielded Carlos Ruiz’s RBI single in the second, then retired 14 straight until Jayson Werth’s single leading off the seventh.
Barajas’ second homer came off Lidge, who was making his 2010 debut after missing the first month of the season following operations on his right knee and right elbow. The closer gave up sharp hits to two of his three batters in the ninth, managing only one out on a liner to right.
