PHILADELPHIA » John Mayberry Jr. isn’t going to ride those minor league buses anytime soon.
Mayberry hit another homer and St. Anthony product Shane Victorino also went deep to back Vance Worley and help the Philadelphia Phillies beat the New York Mets 9-4 on Tuesday night.
Mayberry, who had the game-winning hit in the season opener, has shuttled between Triple-A Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia three times this year. He’s earned a spot in the big leagues by batting .326 (29-for-89) with nine homers and 29 RBIs in 31 games since his last recall on July 5.
"I think my attitude stayed the same each and every time I was sent down," Mayberry said. "I was disappointed, but I had to work hard and try to stay the next time."
He’s not only here to stay. He’s making it hard for manager Charlie Manuel to keep him out of the lineup.
"He’s kind of earned the right to stay in there for a while," Manuel said. "He’s been pretty good."
One night after Cliff Lee and David Herndon combined on a five-hitter in Philadelphia’s 10-0 win, Worley (9-1) blanked the Mets until the seventh. The rookie right-hander allowed one run and five hits in seven innings and had a career-high nine strikeouts to win his seventh straight decision.
Playing without Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez, the Phillies got 13 hits and rocked Jonathon Niese (11-11). The red-hot Mayberry and Victorino both had two hits and three RBIs to help Philadelphia earn its major league-best 83rd win.
Niese gave up eight runs and 10 hits in four-plus innings in his worst start of the season. He’s likely headed to the disabled list with a rib injury.
"For some reason when he makes a mistake, he gets hit hard," Mets manager Terry Collins said.
An RBI groundout by Justin Turner in the seventh snapped the Mets’ 171/3 innings scoreless streak, their longest of the season. Lucas Duda hit a two-run homer off Michael Stutes in the eighth. New York has lost five straight and 17 of 22.
Worley pitched out of trouble in the first two innings and retired 15 straight at one point. The Phillies have won his last 12 starts. That’s the most for a rookie pitcher since Texas won 12 consecutive starts by Bobby Witt in 1986.
"It’s a big deal to get in trouble and battle out," Worley said.
Victorino drove one out to left to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead in the third. A few batters later, Mayberry ripped a three-run shot to the seats in left to make it 4-0.
