Davey Lopes showed up at Citizens Bank Park yesterday, a little more than a month after undergoing successful surgery for prostate cancer.

Lopes said he hopes to rejoin the team as its first-base coach possibly before the end of the month.

"It was a shock at first, obviously," he said before yesterday's 4-2 loss to the New York Mets. "Anytime you hear something like that - I don't care who you are - you realize how short a time you have on earth. You take a lot of things for granted. I was lucky in that they caught it early."

Lopes had robotic surgery to remove the cancer, which was caught during the team's annual physicals this spring in Clearwater, Fla.

"I was scared," he said. "Shocked. Disbelief. But you know that it's there. In February the previous year, I was fine. Thankfully, we do those tests every year."

Now that he feels better, Lopes said he is eager to return to the field. He has missed the action.

"It's something I've done since 1968, so when you have something taken away from you, even if it is for a short period of time, you do miss it," he said. "I spent an extra four weeks in Florida [recovering from the surgery]. Nice place, but I was ready to get out of there. I've been antsy."

Rollins still out

It sounded as if Jimmy Rollins would not be in the lineup tonight against the New York Mets.

His sprained left ankle, which he suffered April 8 at New York's Shea Stadium, continues to bother him. Manager Charlie Manuel said Rollins told him the ankle is 75 percent healthy. The shortstop took fielding practice yesterday and looked better than he had last week, but even he acknowledged, "That's not saying much. . . . Still no time frame. It'll probably be a couple of more days."

Rollins will travel to Denver tonight with the team for a two-game series against the Colorado Rockies beginning tomorrow night at Coors Field.

Has this been tough on Rollins, knowing how much he loves to play the Mets?

"I know I'm not ready, so it really doesn't bother me that much," he said. "If I felt I was ready and couldn't get clearance, then that would be a different story, but I know I'm not where I need to be. My plan is to stay off it as much as I can."

Rollins said Phillies athletic trainer Scott Sheridan preferred that he not pinch-hit.

"But I told him it's prime time," he said. "If I get called upon, you'd better believe I'm going out there."

Rollins pinch-hit for Jamie Moyer in the sixth inning and grounded out to first baseman Carlos Delgado.

Utley heats up

Chase Utley hit a home run to right field in the seventh inning. He has homered in three consecutive games, the second time in his career he has accomplished that feat (May 20-24, 2004).

Utley (.324) has reached base safely in 11 consecutive games and in 17 of his last 18 games.

Moyer does his job

Lefthander Jamie Moyer allowed seven hits, two runs and a walk in six innings. It was his second quality start of the season, and the 11th quality start this season for the Phillies.

That ranks third in the National League behind San Diego (13) and Arizona (12).

Et cetera

The Phillies released triple-A Lehigh Valley catcher Pete LaForest after Friday night's game. They promoted catcher Tim Gradoville from double-A Reading to take his place. . . . Pat Burrell, who walked in the eighth inning, has reached base safely in 16 straight games and 17 of 18. . . . Mets closer Billy Wagner recorded his 362d save. He ranks seventh on the all-time saves list.

- Todd Zolecki