Mets take a walk-off on the winning side in Game 1

NEW YORK » Even during this miserable Mets season, Wilmer Flores has displayed quite a knack for winning games on the final swing.

Flores connected for a pinch-hit homer in the bottom of the 10th inning to give New York a 4-3 victory over the Phillies in the opener of a twi-night doubleheader Monday.

In the makeup of an April 2 game postponed by snow, Flores led off the 10th and nearly reached safely on a hit by pitch. In fact, he contended the ball grazed his arm and he started toward first base. When plate umpire Tom Hallion called ball three, Flores motioned toward the New York dugout to request a replay review.

“It did hit him. We saw it on the replay and then I just talked to him,” Mets starter Zack Wheeler said with a chuckle. “Glad they didn’t overturn it.”

The ruling stood following the review — but Flores did one better. He drove the next delivery from Victor Arano (1-1) off the left-field foul pole for his fourth career gameending homer and second this season.

That gave Flores four of New York’s five walkoff RBIs this year and 10 in his career, three more than anyone else in the majors since 2014 and one better than David Wright for the most in Mets history. Flores’ four game-ending homers are tied for the team record.

Smiling teammates hopped over the dugout railing and swarmed Flores at home plate after his fifth career pinch-hit homer, second this year.

And with this one, Wilmer walked ‘em off again.

“It’s almost getting to the point where you expect it,” Wheeler said. “I know when the game’s on the line, that’s the guy you want to have up there.”

A buzz went up in the crowd when Flores stepped to the plate, and fans were soon chanting his name. A favorite at Citi Field for years now, Flores started at second base and batted third in the nightcap.

“He’s obviously been kind of on fire lately,” Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. “Some guys just step up in those situations.”

Asdrubal Cabrera also went deep for New York and hit an RBI double off the top of the right-center fence. Shut out in their previous two games by Tampa Bay, the Mets won for only the fourth time in their past 21 home games.

Maikel Franco homered and Nick Williams had three hits for the Phillies, who stranded 12 and went 2 for 13 with runners in scoring position. They lost for only the third time in 11 games.

Tim Peterson (2-1) pitched out of trouble in the 10th, and Robert Gsellman escaped a big jam in the eighth for the Mets.

Cabrera hit a solo homer in the first and an RBI double in the third. New York also was handed a run when Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera overran Jose Bautista’s single for an error, allowing Brandon Nimmo to score from first.