Orlando Hernandez pitched seven sharp innings to lead New York to a 4-3 win over Los Angeles in the National League on Saturday.
The result moves the Mets seven games clear of Philadelphia and Atlanta atop the National League East, but drops the Dodgers four-and-a-half games off San Diego in the wildcard race.
Hernandez (9-4) was cruising along with a two-hit shutout until Los Angeles hit consecutive solo homers with two outs in the seventh. "El Duque" recovered to strike out pinch-hitter Matt Kemp.
PHOTO: AP
With closer Billy Wagner rested, setup man Aaron Heilman worked a scoreless ninth against the middle of the Dodgers lineup for his first save in 11 months.
Los Angeles' Eric Stults (1-2) gave up five hits.
Padres 4, Phillies 3
In Philadelphia, Kevin Kouzmanoff hit a go-ahead homer in the ninth inning and San Diego handed slumping Philadelphia its fourth straight loss.
The Padres now lead the Phillies by four games in the wildcard race.
San Diego's Heath Bell (6-4) took the win in a perfect inning of work.
Kouzmanoff drove a 2-0 pitch from Brett Myers (2-5) into the right-field seats for his 14th homer of the season.
Tim Wakefield's knuckleball baffled Chicago and sent a surging Boston to another victory on Saturday.
Wakefield (16-10) allowed just three hits in seven shutout innings and joined teammate Josh Beckett as the major league's only 16-game winners, and the Red Sox pounded White Sox pitching for a third straight game in a 14-2 win.
The win keeps Boston six-and-a-half games clear of New York in the American League East.
The White Sox lost for the 12th time in 14 games and fell 17 games under .500 for the first time since 1999.
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