Giants 8, Mets 5
NEW YORK -- First baseman Brandon Belt launched a tie-breaking two-run homer during a five-run sixth inning Wednesday night as the San Francisco Giants beat the New York Mets 8-5 at Citi Field.
The Giants (34-26) have won the first two games of the three-game series and four of five overall to move within a half-game of the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.
The Mets (31-29) fell a half-game behind the Washington Nationals in the NL East with their sixth loss in eight games.
The Giants, who rode rookie right-hander Chris Heston' s no-hitter to a 5-0 victory on Tuesday, trailed 4-2 entering the sixth Wednesday against the Mets and their right-handed ace, Matt Harvey.
But second baseman Joe Panik, who hit a two-run homer in the first, singled leading off the inning. After centerfielder Angel Pagan walked, catcher Buster Posey laced a two-run double to right. Belt followed four pitches later with his eighth homer of the season.
Right fielder Justin Maxwell hit a solo homer later in the inning for the Giants, who scored in the ninth via another RBI double by Posey.
Left fielder Nori Aoki tied a career-high with four hits while Panik had three hits.
The sixth-inning rally made a winner out of right-hander Tim Hudson (4-5), who earned his 218th career victory despite giving up four runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out one over five-plus innings.
Right-hander Santiago Casilla, the Giants' sixth pitcher, earned his 18th save with a perfect ninth.
Shortstop Wilmer Flores had two hits, including a two-run single in the first, for the Mets. Third baseman Eric Campbell, first baseman Lucas Duda and centerfielder Juan Lagares all added one RBI. Lagares and right fielder Curtis Granderson each had two hits.
Harvey (6-4) allowed a career-high tying seven runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out two. The three homers he allowed were a career-high as well while the two whiffs were his fewest as a big leaguer.
Giants left fielder Nori Aoki singled on Harvey' s second pitch and scored four pitches later when Panik drilled his second homer in as many nights.
The Mets needed just four pitches to secure their first hit, but Granderson cost them at least a run when he thought his fly ball off the centerfield wall was caught by Angel Pagan. Granderson stopped running one-third of the way to second base before realizing his mistake, but he had to race back to first.
Granderson went to second on a groundout by shortstop Ruben Tejada before Duda walked. Left fielder Michael Cuddyer followed with a single to left, and third base coach Tim Teufel waved home Granderson. But Aoko easily threw Granderson out.
The Mets still managed to tie the score when Flores grounded a single up the middle to bring home Duda and Cuddyer.
The Mets took the lead in the fourth. Flores was plunked with one out and was forced at second on a grounder by catcher Travis d' Arnaud, who went to second on single by centerfielder Juan Lagares and scored on Campbell' s single.
Granderson led off the fifth with a double, went to third on Tejada' s groundout and scored on Duda' s single.
NOTES: The Giants placed OF Gregor Blanco on the 7-day concussion disabled list and recalled OF Jarrett Parker from Triple-A Sacramento. Another injured Giants OF, Hunter Pence (left wrist tendinitis), is likely to head to the disabled list Thursday after he was shut down from baseball activities Wednesday. ... Giants manager Bruce Bochy lives in the same town in Florida - Melbourne -- as RHP Chris Heston, who threw a no-hitter Tuesday. A grinning Bochy said he fielded a lot of phone calls Wednesday morning from reporters who couldn' t reach Heston. ... To make room for C Travis d' Arnaud, the Mets optioned INF Danny Muno to Triple-A Las Vegas. ... RHP Bobby Parnell, who hasn' t pitched in the bigs since undergoing Tommy John surgery in April 2014, is with the Mets and will be activated this week.