Delgado leads Mets past Phils into first

Jerry Manuel was curious to see how his New York Mets would respond after a heartbreaking loss to Philadelphia. They answered with two big wins. Carlos Delgado hit a tiebreaking two-run double in the eighth inning and Oliver Perez stifled the Phillies again, helping the Mets earn a 3-1 victory yesterday at Shea Stadium that gave them sole possession of first place in the NL East. The Mets took two of three in the series after blowing a three-run lead in the ninth inning of the opener. They are alone in first place for the first time since April 19. “I'm very proud of the way this team bounced back after that game the other night,” said Manuel, who has managed New York to a 21-12 record since Willie Randolph was fired last month. “We've been resilient for a long period of time.” Eric Bruntlett, subbing for a tardy Jimmy... [read full story]