Colon helps cause as Mets top Phillies

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK — Wilmer Flores launched a grand slam, Asdrubal Cabrera homered from both sides of the plate and even Bartolo Colon had two helpful hits while pitching the New York Mets to a 9-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night.

Jose Reyes and Cabrera opened the Mets’ half of the first inning with consecutive home runs, only the second time the franchise has accomplished the feat. Trying to make a significant move in the crowded NL wild-card race, New York (6563) opened a 10-game homestand by winning for the fifth time in its past six.

The 43-year-old Colon (12-7) carried a two-hitter into the eighth inning. He also lashed two sharp hits that delighted the crowd, a leadoff double in the fifth and a line-drive single in the sixth.

The pudgy pitcher scored both times, first ahead of Flores’ third career slam and then in front of Cabrera’s second homer of the night. The switch-hitting shortstop became the first Mets player to go deep from both sides in one game since Carlos Beltran at Colorado on May 12, 2011.

Phillies left-hander Adam Morgan (1-8) took the loss. also went deep for the surging Yankees, who moved five games over .500 for the first time this season.

Sanchez, who had three hits, had a two-out single in the bottom of the first. Teixeira followed with a towering shot into the right-field bleachers off Yovani Gallardo to give New York a 2-1 lead.

The Yankees broke the game open against Gallardo (4-6) with a sixrun second. The right-hander was charged with eight runs over 1 1/3 innings, the shortest start of his 10year career.