Beltran, Mets need 16 to beat Phillies

NEW YORK -- As the innings went by last night and into this morning, there was a sense of urgency for the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets.

``You can't lose that kind of game," Mets manager Willie Randolph said. ``You use all your roster, you have to win the game. You're out there that long, you don't want to waste it."

Carlos Beltran settled this battle of attrition by leading off the 16th inning with his 12th home run, ending a 5-hour, 22-minute marathon that was the longest game in the major leagues this season. There were 521 pitches and Beltran hit the last one into the New York bullpen.

The Mets used 21 players and the Phillies 18. The only position player who didn't get into the game was Philadelphia reserve outfielder Chris Coste.

Ryan Madson (4-3) worked seven scoreless innings in relief, uncharted territory for him, before Beltran's homer ended it and gave him the loss.

``I never thought I would [go that long]," said Madson, who threw 105 pitches.

Madson said he was prepared to go as long as necessary. Only closer Tom Gordon and Real Cormier were left in the Phillies bullpen and Cormier had received an injection in his shoulder and was unavailable.

Beltran caught up with a high fastball to end it.

Darren Oliver (2-0) worked four shutout innings to earn the victory that stretched the Mets' lead in the NL East over the Phillies to four games.

Jose Reyes capped a furious New York comeback with a two-out, two-run homer in the eighth, tying the score at 8. The rally started when Endy Chavez beat out an infield hit and scored on a pinch double by Chris Woodward.

Reyes, who had been 0 for 4, followed with his fourth homer of the season. ``I don't know how I got that one," he said, after golfing the ball over the wall, one of four homers hit by the Mets.

Home runs by David Wright and Cliff Floyd erased an early 2-0 deficit for the Mets. But David Bell drove in five runs with a three-run homer and a double to put Philadelphia ahead.