Apr 11, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; New York Mets left fielder Yoenis Cespedes (52) hits a three RBI home run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
PHILADELPHIA — With blue and orange apparel scattered throughout the crowd and cheers ringing throughout the night at Citizens Bank Park, the New York Mets haven’t felt far away from home lately.
And Yoenis Cespedes kept giving the New York faithful reasons to get loud Tuesday night.
The right-handed-hitting slugger belted three home runs and a double for a five-RBI night to power the Mets to a 14-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.
New York belted seven home runs and outhit Philadelphia 20-8. Every Mets starting position player registered a hit.
Cespedes hit his first blast in the first inning, a three-run homer to dead center field off Phillies starter Clay Buchholz, who ended up lasting just seven outs.
The Mets forced the right-hander to throw 67 pitches before he exited with what the Phillies called a right forearm strain.
Buchholz (0-1) allowed six earned runs and eight hits. He left in a 5-1 game, and the Mets didn’t slow down.
Lucas Duda’s solo shot in the sixth traveled 448 feet and disappeared over the batter’s eye in center. It gave the Mets a 10-2 lead, which was plenty of runs for Mets starter Matt Harvey (2-0).
Harvey lasted 5 2/3 innings and allowed two runs and five hits with six strikeouts and one walk on 92 pitches. He was removed in the bottom of the sixth with tight left hamstring.
With the Mets up 9-2, the Phillies threatened to cut into the deficit when they loaded the bases in the fifth with two outs, but Harvey struck out Odubel Herrera to end the threat.
The Mets kept piling on. Travis d’Arnaud’s two-run shot in the eighth gave them a 13-2 lead and Duda’s second homer of the night made it 14-4 in the top of the ninth.
Maikel Franco got the Phillies on the board when he led off the second with a solo home run, his first home run of the season, to make it 5-1.
The Mets didn’t take long to get that run back and more.
After a one-out double by Jose Reyes, Buchholz worked a full count to d’Arnaud. But the 70 mph changeup for ball three left the pitcher uneasy. Phillies coaches and training staff went to the mound, and Buchholz was removed.
Left-hander Adam Morgan came on in relief and was greeted by an RBI single on his first pitch to put the Mets ahead 6-1.
An inning later, the Mets lengthened their lead when Cabrera and Cespedes hit back-to-back shots to make it 8-1.
Cespedes homered again in the fifth.
All four runs charged to Morgan came on solo homers.
NOTES: The Mets have now won 15 of their past 17 series vs. Philadelphia and are 28-12 against their NL East rival since the start of 2015… Mets OF Yoenis Cespedes became the 13th player in club history to hit three home runs in a game. … The Phillies announced that executive vice president Michael Stiles, 71, would retire from his full-time role on June 30. … New York has now hit 46 home runs in its last 21 games at Citizens Bank Park. … The Mets send RHP Zack Wheeler (0-1, 11.25 ERA) to the mound for the series finale Wednesday to try and complete the sweep. He will oppose RHP Vince Velasquez (0-1, 9.00).
