NEW YORK (AP) — About a half-hour before the first pitch http://www.giantsfanproshop.com/authentic-matt-williams-jersey , the Philadelphia Phillies learned the New York Mets had scratched major league ERA leader Jacob deGrom because of a steady rain forecast for all afternoon.“In a big game, obviously we liked our chances not having to face him,” Rhys Hoskins said. Hoskins hit a two-run homer in the first inning off rookie Corey Oswalt , but the Phillies could not shake their funk. Vince Velasquez allowed Michael Conforto’s tiebreaking, three-run homer in a four-run fifth inning that propelled New York to a 6-4 win Sunday.Since moving a season-high 15 games over .500 with a four-game sweep of Miami that ended Aug. 5, the Phillies have gone 10-20. They are winless in 10 series, losing nine — including seven in a row.“Of course that’s a missed opportunity,” Hoskins said. “Not because it wasn’t deGrom and we didn’t beat somebody else. Just another series that seemed to slip away.”Philadelphia, which led the NL East before play Aug. 12, dropped 4½ games behind first-place Atlanta. The Phillies also trail by the same margin for the second wild card with three weeks left.After a loss as dismal as Sunday’s weather, manager Gabe Kapler said “we need to turn the page quickly” more often than a speed-reading instructor.“Things kind of just got out of hand,” Velasquez said. “Missing spots kind of all game. Conditions kind of got the best of me and can’t let that happen.” Conforto tied a career best with four RBIs and made a pair of fine catches . Rookie Jeff McNeil had his second straight three-hit game and fifth overall, raising his average to .340 as the Mets took two of three.Mets manager Mickey Callaway decided just before a 27-minute rain delay at the start that he wouldn’t pitch deGrom.“We kind of approached Jacob about it, said, hey Bruce Bochy Jersey , there’s a good chance you could start this game and it could be one inning or two innings. We could get a long delay and probably bang for the rest of the day,” Callaway said.Making his ninth start, Oswalt allowed his 13th home run in 53 innings. Hoskins went deep for the third straight game and reached 30 for the first time.Velasquez (9-11) gave up Amed Rosario’s eighth triple of the season leading off the bottom half, and Conforto followed with a run-scoring infield single — ending Velasquez’s streak of 14 consecutive scoreless first innings.Dropping to 1-3 in his last six starts, Velasquez failed to get an out in the fifth. Pinch-hitter Dominic Smith doubled, Rosario was hit by an 0-2 pitch, McNeil lashed a tying opposite-field single to left and Conforto drove the next pitch for his 23rd homer, an opposite-field shot just over the left-field wall. The ball originally was called a double but was changed after a review of less than a minute.Velasquez thinks the Phillies are lucky to still have a chance to reach the postseason.“With us being the young team that we are, no one expected us to go this far,” he said. “I think all of us as individuals are pretty content in where we are right now, but we’re capable of doing a lot more and doing better.”In a game played before what appeared to be fewer than 10,000 fans from an announced crowd of 24,153, rookie Drew Gagnon (1-1) pitched two hitless innings for the win in his first big league appearance since his debut against the Phillies on July 10. Wilson Ramos had a sacrifice fly off Drew Smith in the sixth, but Austin Jackson restored a three-run lead with an RBI double in the seventh against Hector Neris . Four Mets pitchers combined for two-hit relief over six innings; Seth Lugo got six outs for his second save http://www.giantsfanproshop.com/authentic-willie-mays-jersey , allowing Carlos Santana’s two-out homer in the ninth .“We’re still well within striking distance,” Hoskins said before heading to a nine-game homestand at Citizens Bank Park, where the Phillies are 43-26. “I still think there’s good baseball ahead of us.”GLOVE GEMS Conforto reached into the left-field seats to grab Santana’s flyout for the final out of the sixth, stranding a pair of runners. He jumped near the left-field wall to catch to catch a Jose Bautista fly in the third .BEEN A LONG TIMEHoskins is the first Philadelphia player to reach 30 homers since Ryan Howard in 2011.SPUTTERING OFFENSEBefore Saturday’s 10-5 win, the Mets had averaged 2.9 runs in their previous 50 games at Citi Field, their lowest over a 50-game span at home since 1976, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.TRAINER’S ROOMMets: RHP Noah Syndergaard had a red mark on his right side from Carlos Hernandez’s line drive Saturday night but said he will be good to take his next scheduled turn in the rotation. The ball missed hitting any ribs, instead landing on the fleshy part of his right side.UP NEXTPhillies: RHP Jake Arrieta (10-9) is scheduled for Monday’s opener versus Washington and RHP Tanner Roark (8-15). Arrieta won at Miami on Sept. 4, ending a five-start winless streak that included three losses.Mets: deGrom was pushed back to Monday’s series opener against Miami and rookie RHP Jeff Brigham (0-1). DeGrom has made 25 consecutive starts overall allowing three runs or fewer, tying the major league record set by King Cole of the 1910 Chicago Cubs, yet he is 8-8 despite a 1.68 ERA. PITTSBURGH (AP) — In a story Aug. 18 about the game between the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates, The Associated Press reported erroneously that the Cubs matched San Francisco in 1969 and the Philadelphia Athletics in 1942 by turning seven double plays in a nine-inning game. The Cubs matched Houston’s defense in 1969 and the New York Yankees in 1942.A corrected version of the story is below:Turn! Turn! Turn! Cubs match double-play record vs BucsThe Chicago Cubs tied a major league record by turning seven double plays, including a game-ending effort by rookie third baseman David Bote on a grounder by David Freese to finish off a 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh PiratesBy JOHN PERROTTOAssociated PressPITTSBURGH (AP) — Cubs starter Cole Hamels didn’t have his best stuff Friday night. Luckily, he had a few buddies on hand to help him out.“The double play is a pitcher’s best friend,” he said with a smile.A friend in need Will Clark Jersey , indeed.Chicago tied a major league record by turning seven double plays, including a game-ending effort by rookie third baseman David Bote on a grounder by David Freese to finish off a 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.The Cubs got six double plays on grounders — five with Hamels pitching — and one on a line drive. The Elias Sports Bureau said the Cubs became the third team in big league history to turn seven DPs in a nine-inning game. It was previously done by Houston’s defense in 1969 (against San Francisco) and the New York Yankees in 1942 (against the Philadelphia Athletics).“Crazy,” Cubs second baseman Ben Zobrist said. “A lot of it is the pitcher doing a great job of getting groundballs and little of it is luck with (the hitters) rolling over on some pitches. It’s also good quality defense and good focus throughout the game.”Pittsburgh had runners on first and second in the ninth before Jesse Chavez got Freese to ground to Bote. Having hit a game-ending grand slam last Sunday night to beat Washington 4-3, Bote again was in the right place to cap off a win. He stepped on third and threw to first to end it.“We were in a good spot all the time,” Chicago manager Joe Maddon said. “We made some really good plays and absolutely turned the ones we were supposed to turn. We never gave them extra outs, so that was the pertinent part.”Hamels (8-9) pitched seven solid innings. Kyle Schwarber hit a home run in the second off Trevor Williams (10-9). Chavez got his second save as the Pirates lost their fifth in a row.“(The infielders) were great with how they stayed with it and pulled them off, especially to end innings in a tight game when you can’t afford one mistake,” Hamels said. “It was outstanding to see. There are always going to be days where you not sharp, but it’s nine guys trying to win a game.”Freese also hit into the first double play in the first inning. Third baseman Javier Baez fielded his grounder, stepped on the bag and threw to first baseman Anthony Rizzo to end the inning.In the second, Josh Bell hit into an around-the-horn DP, Baez to Zobrist to Rizzo.Corey Dickerson ended the third inning by grounding to Zobrist, who threw to shortstop Addison Russell at second. Russell’s relay to first was in time to get Dickerson.Gregory Polanco hit into a 4-6-3 double play in the sixth. An inning later, Bell grounded into a 6-4-3, the last of five DPs turned behind Hamels.Chicago had a disputed double play to end the eighth. With one out and Jorge De La Rosa pitching Barry Bonds Jersey , pinch-hitter Adam Frazier lined to Zobrist, who threw to first to double up pinch-runner Kevin Newman. The Pirates challenged the call, but the play stood following a video review.The Pirates put runners on first and second with one out in the ninth, but Chavez induced Freeze to hit into the final double play.“Got them a lot of different ways,” Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said of the double plays. “There were some balls that were struck really hard. Down in the zone, we would clip the top of them. Handful of other balls hit hard and lined out. So, we couldn’t find dirt, grass. They made plays and got good defense. They’ve had a good defense all year in the infield. Just goes to show you the benefit of a well-executed pitch in a certain situation.”Hamels allowed five hits, struck out three and walked two as he improved to 3-0 with a 0.72 ERA in four starts since being acquired from the Texas Rangers in a trade.Schwarber hit a drive down the right-field line in the second inning for his 21st home run, sending the NL Central-leading Cubs to their third straight win and increasing their lead to four games over Milwaukee.The Cubs beat the Pirates by a 1-0 score for the second straight game. On Thursday night, Ian Happ’s homer accounted for the only run.Williams gave up four hits in seven innings. He has surrendered just three runs in 36 innings over his last six starts.The start of the game was delayed 1 hour, 47 minutes by rain.TRAINER’S ROOMCubs: LHP Mike Montgomery (left shoulder inflammation) was placed on the 10-day DL and RHP Tyler Chatwood will move from the bullpen to start in his place Saturday night. LHP Randy Rosario was recalled from Triple-A Iowa to take Montgomery’s roster spot. … RHP Yu Darvish (right triceps tendinitis/right shoulder impingement) will make a rehab start Sunday for Class A South Bend. He last pitched for Chicago on May 20. … 3B Kris Bryant (left shoulder inflammation) has started soft tosses but there is no timetable for his return.Pirates: RHP Chad Kuhl (right forearm strain) played catch for the first time since being injured June 26 in a start against the Mets at New York.UP NEXTCubs: Chatwood (4-5, 5.06 ERA) made 19 starts before being shifted to relief in early August. He has issued a major league-high 90 walks in 99 2/3 innings.Pirates: RHP Joe Musgrove (4-7, 3.49) is 3-1 with a 2.33 ERA in four starts since the All-Star break.