Mets rout Phils in Little League Classic

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Amed Rosario had three hits and drove in three runs, and the Mets went from cheering on players in the Little League World Series to impressing the youngsters in an 8-2 victory over the Phillies on Sunday night.

Jeff McNeil added a tworun single to back Jason Vargas (3-8) as the Mets claimed the second Little League Classic and prevented the Phillies from moving into first place in the NL East.

Carlos Santana hit a tworun homer for the Phillies, but Nick Pivetta (7-10) allowed six runs in 32⁄ innings 3 in Philadelphia’s seventh loss in 11 games.

Players and families from the 16 teams competing in the nearby LLWS packed into 2,500-seat Bowman Field, the 92-year-old home of the Phillies’ Class A affiliate in the New YorkPenn League.

The spotlight shined on the Mets’ Todd Frazier and Michael Conforto and the Phillies’ Scott Kingery, who are among 54 players who reached the majors after playing in the LLWS.

Frazier, who sparked a four-run second with a leadoff single, is remembered for leading Toms River, N.J., to the 1998 title when he led off the game with a home run and struck out the final batter.

“It’s been a long day, but well worth it,” said Frazier, who hadn’t been back to Williamsport since 1999. “I kept telling these kids, let it all sink in.”

Just like the 11 and 12 year olds gathered in Williamsport, the Mets and Phillies lined up for postgame handshakes.

The Mets built a 6-0 lead in the fourth to take the five-game series and improve to 8-5 against the Phillies, who dropped a half-game behind divisionleading Atlanta.

Vargas allowed two runs and six hits in 51⁄ innings. 3