Mets cruise to easy victory over Phillies

PHILADELPHIA » Michael Conforto and Curtis Granderson hit two-run homers to lead the New York Mets over the Philadelphia Phillies 6-2 on Sunday.

The Mets continue to roll past their NL East rival, improving to 35-16 since the start of the 2015 season. Conforto and Granderson gave the Mets 96 homers over that span in the series to Philadelphia’s 38.

A baserunning blunder helped make the difference in this one.

Mets starter Chris Flexen (21) loaded the bases in the fifth inning with no outs and Nick Williams at the plate. Williams was retired on a shallow fly to center field and Conforto’s throw home scooted away from Travis d’Arnaud. Odubel Her-

rera put his head down and sprinted for third, unaware Freddy Galvis hadn’t moved off the base. D’Arnaud hustled to third to complete a short toss and an 8-2-5 double play.

Herrera, who has put up some of the top offensive numbers in the major leagues since June, has become one of the more polarizing athletes in recent Philly sports history.

His bat-flipping and careless baserunning have

earned him fan scorn, benchings and a team fine.

The Mets won three of four against the Phillies and headed back to New York for what will be the biggest games they’ll play in what has turned into a lost season — four against the Yankees in the Subway Series, albeit one without that Piazza vs. Clemens buzz.

They perked up in Philly — and Herrera gave them some help.

Herrera’s mistake was compounded on a wild pitch that scored Galvis and cut New York’s lead to 4-2. But Yoenis Cespedes,

who homered in each of the last two games, getting a day off, the rest of the Mets picked up the offensive slack.

They scored two more in the seventh for a 6-2 lead and gave them at least six runs in three of the four games. The Mets have won 17 of 20 series against Philadelphia.

Flexen allowed two runs, struck out five and allowed six hits in the best outing of his four career starts.

Zach Eflin (1-4) allowed Conforto’s 26th homer and Granderson’s 17th, striking out five in 5 1/3 innings.