PHILADELPHIA — This qualified as a short day’s work for the Mets and Phillies.
With one big swing Sunday in the 11th inning, Lucas Duda helped greatly decrease the probability the Mets would need to discuss catcher Anthony Recker as a possibility to pitch out of the bullpen, as they had the previous two days.
Duda’s shot against Phillippe Aumont cleared the center-field fence at Citizens Bank Park for a two-run homer, providing the spark for a 4-3 victory over the Phillies.
After winning in 14 innings on Saturday and losing in 14 a night earlier — each game lasted five-plus hours — the Mets (27-29) certainly weren’t complaining about needing 11 innings, played in a crisp 3 hours, 29 minutes, to handle the Phillies on Sunday.
“Guys are tired and it’s good to get the win today,” Duda said after the Mets won for the fifth time in six games.
Duda began the game on the bench and entered as part of a double-switch in the 10th inning. The homer was his team-leading eighth of the season.
“That’s the Lucas Duda that I saw [before],” manager Terry Collins said. “That kind of juice to left-center is what got him to the big leagues.”
The Mets never got to their last pitcher in the bullpen as they did in the previous two games. Jenrry Mejia allowed a solo homer to Marlon Byrd in the 11th, but recorded the final two outs for his sixth save in as many chances.
Veteran lefty Dana Eveland, who arrived from Triple-A Las Vegas before the game as a fresh arm, was behind Mejia if the Mets needed him.
Starter Jon Niese lasted eight innings for the Mets and allowed two earned runs on eight hits with one walk and six strikeouts. The lefty needed only 91 pitches and might have continued had his turn in the order not come leading off the ninth.
“I told myself before the game started I was going to pound the zone,” Niese said. “They were either going to hit me hard early or I was going to get outs early. I wanted to put it in play. I really wasn’t trying to trick guys out there.”
Ruben Tejada was thrown out attempting to steal second to end the eighth — he slid past the bag — leaving Niese standing at the plate. Bobby Abreu then pinch hit for Niese leading off the ninth.
“I probably could have gone 10 [innings], but they had to pinch hit there,” Niese said. “That’s the right move.”
Scott Rice and Vic Black combined for a scoreless ninth before Josh Edgin (1-0) struck out the side in the 10th.
Cole Hamels pitched seven innings for the Phillies and allowed two runs, one unearned, on six hits with four walks and eight strikeouts.
Eric Campbell’s double leading off the sixth led to the Mets tying the game at 2-2 on Curtis Granderson’s sacrifice fly.
Ryan Howard’s monstrous two-run homer in the fourth gave the Phillies a 2-1 lead on Niese. Carlos Ruiz doubled before Howard hit a smash into the seats in deep left-center. It was the second homer in as many games for Howard.
David Wright’s double leading off the fourth put the Mets in position to score their first run. Campbell singled Wright to third and Chris Young’s sacrifice fly made it 1-0.
Collins would have preferred playing the last two games in 18 innings, but was fine with 25 given the outcome.
“We’re getting tired,” Collins said. “They are good games to win. It lifts the spirits, it does keep the energy up, even though you know you are tired. It sure beats sitting in there saying, ‘I hope it doesn’t happen again tomorrow’ when you know you can win these kind of games.”