Jay Bruce homered twice and drove in five runs, including a tiebreaking shot in the eighth inning that sent the Mets to a 5-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies and halted their four-game losing streak Wednesday night.
New York trailed 2-0 with two outs in the sixth before Bruce lined a three-run homer off frustrated starter Vince Velasquez. Philadelphia pulled even in the eighth, but Yoenis Cespedes singled leading off the bottom half and Bruce connected again, this time against Edubray Ramos (0-2).
The two homers were strikingly similar, line drives to straightaway right field that landed on the protective netting above seats just behind the fence.
New York, which lost first baseman Lucas Duda and catcher Travis d'Arnaud to injuries during the game, has not dropped five straight since late 2015.
Hansel Robles (3-0) struck out his only batter, and Addison Reed earned his fourth save. Reed allowed a sacrifice fly to pinch-hitter Daniel Nava after Freddy Galvis tripled, then struck out Cesar Hernandez to end it.
Rookie right-hander Robert Gsellman gave up three runs and six hits in seven-plus innings. He became the first Mets starter to pitch into the eighth this year.
Velasquez, still looking for his first win since last July, was lifted for a pinch hitter in the seventh. He helped himself with an RBI single in the fifth through a drawn-in infield.
Sports
Philadelphia got an RBI groundout from slumping cleanup hitter Maikel Franco in the fourth and tied it in the eighth when Aaron Altherr blooped a double and scored on Michael Saunders' bloop single.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mets: Duda exited in the fifth with a hyperextended left elbow. He was injured when Gsellman fielded a tapper and tossed a muddy ball toward first. The throw tailed into the runner, and Cesar Hernandez hit Duda's arm as the first baseman reached for the ball. Wilmer Flores batted for Duda in the bottom half and stayed in the game at first base. ... Also in the fifth, d'Arnaud bruised his right wrist when he banged it on Altherr's bat while throwing to second on a stolen base. The catcher was replaced by backup Rene Rivera in the seventh. ... 3B David Wright (neck surgery) went through drills on the field and took batting practice with the team. He played catch for the first time in two or three weeks, manager Terry Collins said. The oft-injured Mets captain hopes to rebuild strength in his weakened throwing arm. "If David Wright could throw the ball across the infield, he could play today. Except we've got to get him some at-bats," Collins said. "It's about getting that arm back and how long that's going to take, no one knows."
HELP ON THE WAY
All-Star closer Jeurys Familia returns to the Mets on Thursday night after sitting out the first 15 games of the season while serving a domestic violence suspension. Collins said he'd like to get Familia into a game right away, but the reliever might be eased back in with a setup role at first.
ROSTER MOVE
Before the game, Philadelphia put reliever Pat Neshek on the paternity list and recalled RHP Ben Lively from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Neshek, obtained from Houston in November, has not allowed a run in his first six appearances with the Phillies.
UP NEXT
Phillies RHP Aaron Nola (1-0, 3.27 ERA) starts the series finale Thursday night against RHP Noah Syndergaard (1-0, 0.95). Neither pitcher has given up a home run this season. Syndergaard has struck out 20 and walked none in 19 innings despite dealing with a blister and cracked fingernail. He is 4-0 with a 1.37 ERA and 30 strikeouts in four career starts against Philadelphia.
