Zack Wheeler didn’t have his best control or his sharpest command Saturday, but he had the knack and the stuff to pitch his way out of trouble. And the jam he couldn’t escape, fellow rookie Gonzalez Germen did, the two youngsters pitching the Mets to a 5-4 win over a Philadelphia team that previously had their number.
A day after Jeremy Hefner had gotten the second half of the season off on the wrong foot, Wheeler showed fight and poise, if not always finesse or precision. He left with a 3-2 lead but the bases loaded in the fifth, and Germen came on to bail him out as the Mets survived closer Bobby Parnell’s rocky ninth for their first home victory against the Phillies all season.
“I wanted to get through that inning, not just for the win but to get out of the jam and [spare the bullpen],’’ said Wheeler, who has pitched to a 2.16 ERA in his last three starts, even if Saturday’s was far more hard work than work of art. “It’s been a few times now I’ve had to come out early because I’m throwing 20 pitches an inning, falling behind. That’s a part of my game I’m going to have to fix pretty fast.
“I really concentrate, really pride myself if guys are in scoring position they’re not going to score. I said that last time and next time [I’ll work] on that. That’s what I pride myself on.’’
Parnell served up a two-run homer in the ninth, but managed his 18th save, almost squandering some great pitching by the Mets’ rookies.
After serving up a home run to leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins in the first, Wheeler settled down somewhat. He allowed seven hits and two walks in 4 ²/₃ innings, throwing just 58 of his 106 pitches for strikes. But he struck out five, allowed just two runs, and held the Phillies hitless in five at-bats with men in scoring position.
He left with the bases loaded and two out in the fifth inning, and Germen (1-1) fanned Delmon Young to escape the jam. Germen struck out three in his 1 ²/₃ hitless innings to earn his first big league win.
“I feel good, because when I came into the game bases loaded, I focused on getting my fastball down and keeping my pitches. I feel great. … Bases loaded was very important to the game, maybe win or maybe lose [right there],’’ said Germen, who also stranded the bases loaded July 13 in Pittsburgh. “I pitch well bases loaded two out, I throw strikes first time every time. Bases loaded, you can’t make a mistake.’’
In short, Wheeler — 2-0 in his last three starts — had a no-decision but did what Hefner couldn’t in Friday’s first game after the All-Star break, and what the Mets haven’t done against the Phillies in general.
The Mets had gone just 3-7 against Philadelphia, smacked around for seven or more runs five times. And they had dropped seven straight to the Phillies in Flushing, stretching all the way back to last Sept. 17. Saturday they finally turned the tables.
Marlon Byrd, Juan Lagares and Anthony Recker all drove in runs in the first inning, as the Mets answered right back after Rollins’ leadoff homer. After Wheeler allowed a run in the fifth, David Wright answered with an RBI single up the middle to make it 4-2.
Daniel Murphy (2 for 4, run, RBI) added an insurance run in the seventh, and the Mets handed Cole Hamels (4-12) another loss and snapped their seven-game home losing skid against Philadelphia.
Lagares had a career-high three hits.
brian.lewis@nypost.com