Red-hot Mets break shutout record

NEW YORK — The Mets left Citi Field smiling after a recordsetting rout. They hope to return home for more games this year.

In the largest shutout victory in team history, Asdrubal Cabrera hit a grand slam, Jose Reyes drove in four runs and the Mets overwhelmed the Phillies 17-0 on Sunday to maintain the NL wildcard lead.

On an afternoon when batters circled the bases like the cartoon Gashouse Gorillas, Reyes batted four straight times with the bases loaded, and Cabrera hit his 23rd home run of the season.

Curtis Granderson reached 30 home runs for the first time since 2012, and rookie Robert Gsellman (3-2) allowed three hits over seven innings.

The Mets’ previous high for runs in a shutout was 14, against the Cubs in 1965 and the Reds in 1998. The Mets have scored 25 unanswered runs after falling behind 10-0 in the fourth inning Saturday night.

Wearing 1986 commemorative uniforms for perhaps the last time this year, the Mets began the day tied with the Giants for the NL’s two wild cards, a half-game ahead of the Cardinals.

Hoping for their first consecu- tive postseason appearances since 1999-2000, the Mets close with three games each against the Marlins in Miami and the Phillies in Philadelphia after finishing 44-37 at home.

Fans chanted “We want playoffs!” in the final inning of the three-hitter.

Gsellman, a 26-year-old righthander making his sixth big league start, struck out a careerbest eight and walked two. He also reached on a bunt single in the third for his first major league hit. The Phillies defense was puzzling, given that Gsellman has a torn left rotator cuff and can’t swing away.