Mets 3, Phillies 1
NEW YORK -- Right-handed pitcher Bartolo Colon threw eight shutout innings Monday night and singled and scored during a three-run fifth inning that lifted the New York Mets to a 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday at Citi Field.
The Mets (73-58) won their second straight to ensure they would remain at least 5 1/2 games ahead of the Washington Nationals in the National League East.
The Phillies (52-80) have lost six of their last eight.
Colon (12-11) allowed just four hits and one walk while tying a season high with nine strikeouts. The 42-year-old Colon, the second-oldest player in baseball and the oldest starting pitcher, has thrown 16 straight scoreless innings. He blanked the Phillies over seven innings last Wednesday in a 9-4 win and tossed a scoreless inning of relief Saturday.
On Monday, Colon allowed only one runner to get as far as second base, but he retired the final 10 batters he faced -- six by strikeout -- after allowing consecutive two-out singles to shortstop Freddy Galvin and right-handed pitcher Jerad Eickhoff in the fifth inning.
Colon's 100th pitch was hit back to him by Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera. After throwing to first to complete the out, Colon received a standing ovation from the crowd of 34,233 and he clapped into his glove as he reached the dugout.
The fans were also cheering for Colon in the fifth. Two batters after left fielder Michael Conforto broke a scoreless tie with a homer, Colon laced a two-out single up the middle for his career-high seventh hit of the season.
Two pitches later, right fielder Curtis Granderson hit a long homer to right. Granderson had to slow down as he neared Colon coming down the third-base line.
Right-hander Jeurys Familia earned his 36th save despite loading the bases with none out. But he got right fielder Jeff Francouer to hit into a run-scoring double play and struck out third baseman Andres Blanco.
Conforto had two hits.
Eickhoff (1-2) allowed the three runs on four hits and two walks while striking out four over seven innings in his third career start and second straight against the Mets.
Second baseman Cesar Hernandez had two singles and scored the Phillies' lone run.
NOTES: To make room on the roster for RHP Addison Reed, the Mets optioned RHP Logan Verrett to Triple-A Las Vegas. ... New York LHP Steven Matz (torn left lat) made his final rehab start Monday night for Double-A Binghamton, allowing one hit in 5 1/3 shutout innings. Matz will be among the players added to the Mets' roster Tuesday. ... Phillies assistant general manager Scott Proefrock said RHP Chad Billingsley (right flexor strain) won't pitch again this season. Arm woes have limited Billingsley to just nine big-league appearances since 2013. ... Proefrock said most of the Phillies' post-Sept. 1 recalls will be pitchers in order to lessen the load on the rookies in the rotation: LHP Adam Morgan, RHP Alec Asher, RHP Aaron Nola and Monday's starter, RHP Jerad Eickhoff.