Church Homer Wins It

Second Round-tripper of the Season

RYAN CHURCH's home run Tuesday night against Chad Durbin in the seventh inning, provided the decisive run in a 6-5 victory over the league-leading Phillies. It also created another Citi Bank Park first, landing, as it did, in the apple basket beyond center field. It made Church an honorary member of the frequently-cited Core of the Mets.

"To drop it in their from that distance," Church said, "it ought to be worth three points."

Church went 1-for-3 and raised his batting average to .278.