WAGGING THEIR TAILS

NEW YORK - A good team, a focused team, carries momentum from sweeping the division leaders on the road and steamrolls through a patsy like, say, the Royals.

The Phillies shook off a 2-5 homestand by taking the third of three from the Mets last night, 6-3, in 10 innings.

They returned to a season-high two games over .500 and made up three games in the National League East. They now trail the Mets by five games, the Braves (whom they swept late last month) by 2 1/2.

Can they keep it going . . . against one of the worst teams in the majors?

"We have to take the same mentality we had here in New York into Kansas City," said Chase Utley, whose RBI double in the 10th was the difference.

Pat Burrell's solo homer off Billy Wagner in the ninth tied it at 3. It was Burrell's first homer since May 20, a span of 44 at-bats, on a 94-mph fastball.

Utley gave the Phillies the lead in the 10th, driving in Jimmy Rollins. Aaron Rowand then drove in a run and Burrell added an RBI double off Joe Smith.

The bullpen remained spotless in the series. Yoel Hernandez followed starter Cole Hamels, who gave up three straight homers in the sixth, with a perfect eighth, then rookie Mike Zagurski pitched out of trouble in the ninth. Antonio Alfonseca, still pitching in the absence of injured closers Brett Myers and Tom Gordon, earned his third straight save and his fourth in as many tries with a scoreless 10th.

"They were huge," Hamels said of the bullpen's 10-inning effort at Shea. "They're pitching like they know they can."

The two extra-innings wins here - an Utley hit won it in 11 on Tuesday - made the Phillies 3-5 in extras. They came from behind in every game.

All of which is nice . . . if they come back from Missouri on Sunday night having taken advantage of the momentum created by winning five of six.

Perhaps the dramatic nature of the series here will drain them.

Last night's drama included a protested game, a home-run rarity - three in a row by the Mets, one in a row by Burrell - Manuel's fourth ejection of the young season and Wagner's first blown save in his last 31 chances, including 13 this season.

He blew it on the fastball to Burrell, who called Wagner a "rat" after he left the Phillies for the Mets following the 2005 season.

"I'm just happy to contribute," Burrell said. "I haven't been swinging the bat very well."

Burrell's home run caused less commotion than did an earlier one. With two outs in the sixth Carlos Delgado, David Wright and Paul Lo Duca hit back-to-back-to-back homers off Hamels to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead.

Wright's led to Manuel's ejection - one that probably wasn't worth it, since replays showed that the ball was a homer after it originally was ruled in play.

Manuel protested that the umpires used a replay shown on the scoreboard to change the call. He tried to protest the game but was told he could not.

The umpires insisted they did not use the replay to change the call.

Hamels lasted seven innings, having surrendered a career-high 10 hits. The three homers didn't faze him:

"It happens," he said.

Burrell's homer took Hamels off the hook and he remained 8-2; Burrell's homer kept John Maine from moving to 7-3 after giving up just two runs over seven innings.

This was not the Mets team that had beaten the Phillies three of four times this season. Rightfielder Shawn Green (knee) and leftfielder Moises Alou (thigh) missed the series. Centerfielder Carlos Beltran was hobbled by a knee injury that cost him the three games before this series.

"I think you're looking at a more potent, talented, balanced lineup," before, Manuel said. Then again, sweeping a vulnerable opponent is "Making hay while the sun shines."

The sun has shined like this before, only to be eclipsed by lousy performances against lousy teams.

It happened when Tampa Bay visited the Phillies last year. It happened in Seattle in 2005.

The Phillies, aspiring to make the playoffs, faced a dog team from the American League and they failed to bury the bone. They barely missed winning the National League wild-card slot each year.

How do they avoid that this year?

"Mastery of the game. Not letting up," Manuel said.

Will they let up?

Said Burrell: "We'll see."

When the Phillies bumbled last season down the stretch, making bad plays in the field and on the bases, Charlie Manuel said, they did so because they weren't relaxed as they chugged toward a possible playoff berth.

When the Phillies bumbled last season down the stretch, making bad plays in the field and on the bases, Charlie Manuel said, they did so because they weren't relaxed as they chugged toward a possible playoff berth.

"A lot of it is just getting tight. I call it nervousness. Panicking," Manuel said.

So, given their almost nightly misadventures this season, they're panicking this season?

"No." Ah.

Charlie Manuel last night inserted Aaron Rowand in the No. 5 slot, where struggling Pat Burrell has been a fixture. Burrell hit a game-tying homer off Billy Wagner in the ninth; Rowand had an RBI single in the 10th . . . Brett Myers (shoulder) played catch for the third straight day from about 75 feet, a few feet longer than his two previous sessions. He appears a few days from throwing off the mound . . . Last night was the second time in Hamels' 36 career starts he has allowed three homers (July 24 vs. Atlanta) . . . LHP Mike Zagurski hit 94 mph with his fastball twice last night. *

Charlie Manuel last night inserted Aaron Rowand in the No. 5 slot, where struggling Pat Burrell has been a fixture. Burrell hit a game-tying homer off Billy Wagner in the ninth; Rowand had an RBI single in the 10th . . . Brett Myers (shoulder) played catch for the third straight day from about 75 feet, a few feet longer than his two previous sessions. He appears a few days from throwing off the mound . . . Last night was the second time in Hamels' 36 career starts he has allowed three homers (July 24 vs. Atlanta) . . . LHP Mike Zagurski hit 94 mph with his fastball twice last night. *