Far too often this season, the Mets have failed to overcome short outings by their starting pitchers. But Monday night, the bats came alive when the Mets needed them the most, picking up Kodai Senga after the right-hander was lifted in the fifth inning.

Mark Vientos drove in the go-ahead run with a double off left-hander Christopher Sanchez in the fifth inning, and the Mets looked back, opening a crucial NL East series with a 13-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night at Citi Field.

The Phillies (76-55) remain 6.0 games ahead of the Mets (70-61) in the division, but the two teams will face one another six more times before the end of the season, giving the Mets time to close the gap. If they keep hitting the way they did Monday, they might have a shot.

Senga put the Mets

See Full Page