Phils hit 3 HRs, outlast Mets 10-7 to tighten wild-card race

Maikel Franco, Scott Kingery and Adam Haseley homered as the Philadelphia Phillies overcame an early deficit and outlasted the New York Mets 10-7 Sunday to further tighten the NL wild-card race.

The game took 4 hours, 29 minutes -- a minute short of matching the longest nine-inning game in NL history. When it was over, Philadelphia had closed within two games of Chicago for the second wild-card spot. The Mets stayed four back of the Cubs, who lost Milwaukee 8-5.

With both managers mixing and matching, the teams combined to use 39 players, including eight pitchers apiece. Hector Neris escaped a two-on, one-out jam in the ninth.

Injured star Bryce Harper drew a bases-loaded walk as a pinch-hitter, capping a three-run seventh inning to put the Phillies ahead 10-6. That came shortly after a sensational catch by right fielder Sean Rodriguez preserved a slim lead.

Wilson Ramos and Robinson Cano hit back-to-back homers in the first inning for a 3-0 New York lead. But Noah Syndergaard couldn't hold the edge and the bullpen got battered yet again as the Mets missed a chance to move up in the playoff chase.

Pinch-hitter Phil Gosselin blooped an RBI single that gave the Phillies a 5-4 lead in the sixth and Franco followed with a two-run homer. Franco later doubled and has seven homers and 18 RBIs in 15 games against the Mets this year.

The Mets clawed back for two runs in the bottom of the sixth to make it 7-6 and had the tying run in scoring position, but Rodriguez charged hard into the tight foul space, banged hard into the wall and caught a fly by J.D. Davis to end the inning. Rodriguez's teammates waited outside the dugout to greet him, and several players came off the bench to add their congratulations.

Kingery hit a two-run homer in the seventh and Harper walked to make it a four-run lead. Harper didn't start for the second straight day after being hit in the right hand by a pitch Friday night.

Ranger Suarez (5-1) got two outs for the win and Neris closed for his 24th save in 30 chances. Paul Sewald (0-1) took the loss.

HEADS UP

As the Phillies batted in the seventh, four military jets flew low just past Citi Field. They were headed over the U.S. Open, where Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev were set to play across the street in the men's final.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Phillies: Manager Gabe Kapler said he was hopeful Harper could start Monday night at home against Atlanta. Haseley again played right field in Harper's place.

Mets: Jeff McNeil and Brandon Nimmo both got checked by a trainer after fouling balls off themselves, but they stayed in the game.

UP NEXT

Phillies: RHP Aaron Nola (12-4, 3.63 ERA) faces RHP Mike Foltynewicz (5-5, 5.28) and the NL East-leading Braves. Nola is 3-0 against Atlanta this year and 10-3 lifetime.

Mets: RHP Jacob deGrom (8-8, 2.76) starts as the Mets host playoff-contending Arizona and RHP Merrill Kelly (10-13, 4.69) to begin a four-game series. DeGrom had the same 8-8 record at this exact point last season -- with a 1.68 ERA -- on his way to the Cy Young Award.