PHILADELPHIA — Bartolo Colon has stuck around long enough to pitch for eight different major league teams and earn $84 million in his career.
But as far as numbers go, the most significant attached to Colon is 200. The veteran righty on Friday became the third active pitcher to reach that plateau in career victories, after making easy work of the reeling Phillies.
With Colon in control, the Mets won 5-4 at Citizens Bank Park and snapped a two-game skid.
Jenrry Mejia escaped trouble in the ninth, getting the final three outs before the tying run could score. Dana Eveland and Mejia combined to allow three runs in the inning.
The 41-year-old Colon joined Tim Hudson (213) and CC Sabathia (208) as the only active pitchers with at least 200 wins. Colon became only the third Dominican-born pitcher, joining Juan Marichal (243) and Pedro Martinez (219), in the 200-win club.
“I’m expecting a call from those guys,” Colon said. “But I feel real good and happy to be in a category with those guys.”
Mejia earned his 17th save by striking out Reid Brignac to end the game with the tying run at third base. Mejia allowed two hits and a run in the inning.
“When I found out [Colon] needed one more game for 200, I said, ‘I’m going to save the game,’ ” Mejia said. “That was a hard game that I threw, a hard save.”
Colon’s only run allowed came in the seventh, when Marlon Byrd homered into the left-field seats. Colon (11-9) pitched eight innings and allowed one run on six hits with six strikeouts.
In his first attempt to win No. 200, last Sunday against the Giants, Colon was hammered for six runs over 4 ²/₃ innings and took the loss.
Though the Mets failed to deal Colon before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, they still could attempt to move him in a waiver deal this month. The big sticking point appears to be the $11 million Colon is owed for next season and the Mets’ hesitancy to eat even a portion of that salary.
Colon is expendable because of the Mets’ surplus of young arms, including the expected return of Matt Harvey in 2015 from Tommy John surgery rehab.
Travis d’Arnaud’s solo homer in the fifth against A.J. Burnett extended the Mets’ lead to 5-0. The blast was d’Arnaud’s eighth of the season and second against Burnett in 12 days.
The Mets took control during a four-run fourth inning in which they sent eight batters to the plate. Juan Lagares stroked an RBI double to give the Mets their first run, and Wilmer Flores. Curtis Granderson and Daniel Murphy each delivered an RBI single in the inning.