Mets’ Asdrubal Cabrera leaves game with sore left knee

Following Hellickson’s second-shortest start of the season (he allowed five runs in four innings), the Phillies rotation has a 5.57 ERA since the All-Star break. Jose Reyes (3-for-5) led off with a single before Cabrera hit an opposite-field, two-run homer to left-center field off Jeremy Hellickson (10-8) to give the Mets the lead.

Syndergaard also hit a double – his sixth extra-base hit of the season (one shy of Tom Seaver’s 1972 record for most extra-base hits by a Mets pitcher) – and ducked out of the way of a Cespedes foul ball, just before his home run.

“We’ve still got things we’ve got to make sure we address and stay on top of”, Mets manager Terry Collins said. “The energy is just different in the room right now”. “When I got to second base, I started joking around with the guys, telling them that I don’t know how I got two hits because I’m not a great hitter”.

“He established his fastball early, and then he threw us a bunch of breaking balls later after we saw him”, Mackanin said. “The desire, the motivation the not giving up to the last out”.

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.

But the way the pitching is trending, is Mackanin anxious whether he has enough healthy and competent pitching to get through the final 33 games on the Phillies schedule, including eight more against the Mets? NY has scored 62 runs in 11 games against the Phillies this season. First pitch is set for 10:10 a.m. PT at Citi Field where NY is a moneyline favorite of -137. He leads the team with a.295 average and is among the National League leaders in home runs (26).

“My slider’s been more consistent the last two times around”, Syndergaard said. On Friday, the Mets took a 9-4 win.

Not to be bypassed is the pitching of righthander Noah Syndergaard, 12-7, who tossed 7.0 innings and allowed one run earned on two hits. “But after that, nothing”, Mackanin said.

Philadelphia had won Hellickson’s previous six starts. That can’t happen. Just one of those nights when I didn’t have much. NOTES: The Mets will promote RHP Rafael Montero from Double-A Binghamton to start Monday’s series opener against the Miami Marlins. Maikel Franco has put up 117 hits with 53 runs, 22 homers and 72 RBI. “That was just all reflex”.

“Getting back to feeling the delivery again”, Syndergaard said about his recent success.

Ellis drove Robles’ fourth pitch over Granderson’s head in left field, scoring Joseph and Altherr with his first hit for the Phillies.

Mets: Part-time CF Justin Ruggiano went on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left shoulder, and INF T.J. Rivera was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas.

Collins said Walker had felt some discomfort in his back when the team was in San Francisco last weekend.

But if the Mets get the sweep Sunday afternoon, then they can start to think ahead about definitely being in this wild card chase to the end.