Daniel Murphy went from victim to hero over a two-inning stretch Monday night, turning the Mets into winners in Round 1 of the great subway race, 2013 edition.
Brett Gardner would have had to become Superman to catch the bullet Murphy hit in the eighth inning that became a go-ahead RBI single in the Mets’ 2-1 victory over the Yankees before 32,911 at Citi Field.
The decisive hit against David Robertson came two innings after Gardner had reached above the fence in left-center to rob Murphy of a two-run homer, numbing the Citi faithful.
The Mets (19-29) won their second straight and will have momentum on their side Tuesday in the form of ace Matt Harvey, who is scheduled to face Hiroki Kuroda.
Not even Ike Davis’ 0-for-3 performance with three strikeouts could put a damper on this night for the Mets.
With the game 1-1 in the eighth, Mike Baxter hit a bloop double before Jordany Valdespin walked with one out. After a passed ball by Chris Stewart allowed the runners to advance, Baxter was out at the plate on a fielder’s choice with Ruben Tejada batting. Murphy then delivered with a sharp single to give the Mets their first lead.
Bobby Parnell worked a scoreless ninth for his eighth save in 10 chances. Parnell walked Ichiro Suzuki, but struck out Lyle Overbay and retired Travis Hafner to end it.
An inning after Gardner robbed Murphy of a go-ahead homer, David Wright hit a no-doubter leading off the seventh against Phil Hughes that made it 1-1. The homer was Wright’s ninth in his career against the Yankees.
Jon Niese received a no-decision after allowing one run on eight hits and one walk with four strikeouts over seven innings. Mets starting pitchers have won only three games over the team’s last 30 games.
The Yankees received an even better start from Phil Hughes, who surrendered one run on four hits with no walks and six strikeouts over seven innings. It gave the right-hander a second straight no-decision in which he pitched at least six innings and allowed two runs or fewer.
The Yankees finally broke through against Niese in the sixth. Gardner hit a sinking line drive to left on which Lucas Duda went for the diving catch. The ball bounced past Duda, giving Gardner a leadoff triple. Jayson Nix’s RBI single moments later put the Mets in a 1-0 hole.
Nix singled in the third before Niese retired the next seven batters. That streak ended with Gardner’s triple.
Niese loaded the bases in the second, but escaped by getting Stewart to hit into an inning ending double play.
Wright tripled with two outs in the third, but was left stranded when Duda was retired. Niese’s single in the third was erased when Tejada hit into an inning ending double play.
mpuma@nypost.com