NEW YORK (AP) — Carson Benge had three hits to break Pete Alonso's Mets season rookie record, homering along with Francisco Alvarez as New York again prevented the Philadelphia Phillies from gaining ground in the NL wild card race with a 10-3 win Saturday.
Benge raised his hits total to 156, one more than Pete Alonso in 2019.
Alec Bohm had a pair of run-scoring singles and Bryce Harper delivered a sacrifice fly for the Phillies (85-70), who entered
Saturday tied with the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres for the three NL wild cards, five games ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Alvarez’s three-run homer off Andrew Painter (3-10) put the Mets ahead for good in the fifth.
Benge doffed his cap to an ovation from the crowd of 37,468 following the record-breaking hit, an RBI infield single in the eighth.
Painter and Mets starter Christian Scott both attended Calvary Christian Academy in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Scott was in the class of 2018 and Painter in the class of 2021.
Painter allowed four runs and four hits with seven strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings, leaving him with a 5.59 ERA.
Brett Baty and Ronny Mauricio each had an RBI in the sixth and the Mets added four runs in the eighth off Orion Kerkering. Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto and Bo Bichette all had RBIs before Benge’s milestone hit.
Kerkering has given up nine runs in 4 1/3 innings over four appearances this month.
Lindor went 0 for 4 and remained at 299 career homers.
Jefry Yan (2-1) got four outs in relief of Christian Scott, who gave up three runs and struck out seven in 4 2/3 innings. Scott has allowed four runs or fewer in all 32 big league starts.
RHP Jonah Tong (2-1, 3.43 ERA) starts the Mets’ home finale Sunday against Phillies LHP Cristopher Sánchez (17-6, 2.93 ERA). Rain is forecast.
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