MLB

Mets rough up Halladay, beat Phillies

PHILADELPHIA – The past stood no chance against the future.

Roy Halladay might be the top pitcher of the 21st century, with a Cy Young award in both leagues to support his case, but the whispers the Phillies right-hander is done will only continue after his latest debacle, last night against the Mets.

Meanwhile, Harvey-mania is spreading and threatening to become an epidemic. Matt Harvey has been that dominant for the Mets.

With Harvey brilliant for seven innings, the Mets rolled to a 7-2 victory over the Phillies before 35,393 at Citizens Bank Park.

Harvey (2-0) allowed one run on three hits with nine strikeouts and two walks in leading the Mets to their third straight victory. John Buck provided the offensive juice with a three-run homer in the second inning against Halladay, who was knocked out in the fifth.

Harvey, who threw 110 pitches, hit 98 mph in the seventh inning. After striking out Laynce Nix on a 95-mph heater in the seventh, Harvey’s final act was to retire Humberto Quintero, leaving the Phillies hitless in their last three innings facing the right-hander.

Jimmy Rollins’ double leading off the fourth led to the Phillies’ only run against Harvey. Ryan Howard got the RBI with a sacrifice fly.

In 14 innings this season, Harvey has allowed one run and four hits with 19 strikeouts and four walks.

Halladay (0-2) was brutal for a second straight start, lasting four-plus innings and allowing seven earned runs on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Once the best pitcher on the planet, Halladay, 35, appears cooked as he attempts to prove his once magical right arm has something left.

He lasted only 3 1/3 innings against the Braves last week, allowing five earned runs, and last night suffered his first loss against the Mets since July 16, 2001, when he was still pitching for the Blue Jays.

The Mets chased Halladay in the fifth, adding a run on David Wright’s RBI single to take a 5-1 lead. Daniel Murphy doubled leading off the inning and scored on Wright’s single before Ike Davis singled, ending Halladay’s night. Ruben Tejada delivered a two-run single against Chad Durbin later in the inning, with both of the runs charged to Halladay.

Buck continued his torrid start with a three-run homer in the second that gave the Mets a 3-0 lead. The homer was Buck’s third of the season, and his 12 RBIs are the most by a player over seven games to begin a Mets career.

Marlon Byrd doubled to begin the rally before Lucas Duda was hit by a pitch before Buck hit a no-doubter to right field.

Duda delivered an RBI single in the third that extended the Mets’ lead to 4-0.