Colon, Flores leads Mets to 5-3 win over Braves

NEW YORK (AP) -- Bartolo Colon moved into a tie for the major league lead with his ninth win, Wilmer Flores and John Mayberry Jr. homered, and the New York Mets held on to beat the Atlanta Braves 5-3 on Friday night.

The 42-year-old Colon (9-4) gave up two runs and six hits in six effective innings as he matched Seattle's Felix Hernandez, who was roughed up at Houston, and Pittsburgh's Gerrit Cole for most victories in baseball.

Jeurys Familia, whose availability for the game was uncertain because he was awaiting the birth of his child, loaded the bases with one out in the ninth before getting Nick Markakis to ground into a double play for his 18th save.

Michael Cuddyer followed up his game-winning hit Thursday against San Francisco with an RBI double in the seventh as New York beat Atlanta for a fifth straight time after losing the first two games between the teams this year.

The NL East-leading Mets improved to 22-11 in the weak division.

Alex Wood (4-4) entered his 12th start of the season having allowed only two home runs - one was to Cuddyer on April 12 - but he was tagged twice early by the Mets.

Flores connected leading off the second, in his first career at-bat in the No. 4 hole.

With slumping left-handed Lucas Duda out of the lineup against a lefty, manager Terry Collins elevated the rookie shortstop into the cleanup spot but was quick to say that this move was just a one-day necessity.

Mayberry hit a two-run shot in the fourth after Flores was intentionally walked with one out to give New York a 3-0 lead.

But the Braves loaded the bases with three straight singles to open the fifth. Wood then hit a grounder to short for a potential double play and Flores bobbled the ball before flipping to second for the force. A.J. Pierzynski scored and Wood had an RBI.

Jace Peterson doubled in a run to make it 3-2.

The Braves had two runners on in the sixth but, for the second straight inning, Colon got the final out on a comebacker.

Colon matched Dwight Gooden's franchise record established in 1993-94 with a decision in 25 straight starts, a streak that started July 23, 2014. Colon is 16-9 over that span.

Eric Campbell had an RBI groundout in the bottom of the sixth. Mayberry, who singled for his second hit and advanced when Dilson Herrera walked, was on third because Wood threw a pickoff attempt at second base into center field.

Wood allowed five runs - four earned - and six hits in 6 1-3 innings

TRAINER'S ROOM

Braves: Peter Moylan, attempting a comeback after a second Tommy John surgery, allowed three hits and two runs in one inning for Triple-A Gwinnett on Thursday.

Mets: The Mets placed reliever Erik Goeddel on the 15-day DL because of a strained right elbow. Goeddel had not allowed a run since May 27, 5 2-3 scoreless innings.

UP NEXT

Braves: RHP Shelby Miller lowered his ERA to 1.84 when he allowed just one run in seven innings against San Diego in his last start.

Mets: RHP Jacob deGrom was named co-NL player of the week with Clayton Kershaw after going 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA. DeGrom is 2-1 with a 2.00 ERA in three starts vs. the Braves.

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