Phillies Homers Stun Mets

Something must have inspired the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night. Maybe it was the image of Mark McGwire on the big screen.

Rico Brogna, Kevin Sefcik and Bobby Estalella each homered twice as Philadelphia pounded the New York Mets 16-4.

The game was halted in the seventh inning for a few minutes to show McGwire's record-setting 62nd homer on the big screen.

"I don't know if I was inspired by him. All I know is I was in shock," Sefcik said. "It was awesone to see McGwire. I wish I could've seen it live. I'm proud to be playing in the same season when he did it. I also know I am going to eat the same thing tomorrow that I ate today."

Philadelphia's Marlon Anderson added a homer in his first major-league at-bat as the Phillies set a club record with seven home runs off four Mets pitchers. It was the most runs for Philadelphia since 1995.

"We've been saving up for a while and really been struggling for runs," Phillies manager Terry Francona said. "It's nice to see the guys swing the bat like that and then it seemed like it got contagious."

The last time the Mets allowed seven homers was July 11, 1967 at Chicago. The last time they gave up 16 runs was in 1992 against Pittsburgh.

New York, wich remains tied with the Cubs in the wild-card race after Chicago's 6-3 loss to the Cardinals, lost the first game of a 10-game, three-city road trip after taking three of four from the Braves.

Mets starter Hideo Nomo (6-12) lasted only 2 2/3 innings, allowing seven runs and six hits. Mel Rojas, the fourth New York pitcher, allowed four runs on three homers in two innings.

"This is really frustrating for me," Nomo said. "I don't know what else to say."

Paul Byrd (3-2) allowed three runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings against his former team. He walked three and struck out three.

Philadelphia scored three runs in the first inning on four hits, including Brogna's solo homer. The Phillies made it 8-0 in the third. Sefcik homered with one out and Mark Lewis had an RBI double before an intentional walk. Willie Blair relieved Nomo and allowed Estalella's sixth homer.

Brogna hit his 20th homer in the fifth, a two-run shot off Brad Clontz, giving him his fourth multihomer game of the season.

Sefcik hit a solo shot off Rojas in the sixth for the first multihomer game of his career.

In the seventh, Estalella hit a one-out homer off Rojas, Relaford doubled and pinch-hitter Anderson hit a shot over the right-field wall to make it 15-3.

"The Phillies certainly had their hitting shoes on tonight but they're a good hitting team," Mets manager Bobby Valentine said.

Mike Piazza doubled in the Mets' first run in the fifth inning and Edgardo Alfonzo's two-run homer made it 11-3 in the sixth. Jermaine Allensworth added a solo homer in the ninth.

"I just think every once in a while you get your butt kicked," Piazza said. "It's humbling in a way. We were coming off a big game but tonight our bats just went cold. We can't afford a let down like this."

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