Mets top Tribe with HR binge

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

Yoenis Cespedes and Neil Walker each hit a two-run homer in a five-run fifth inning, and the New York Mets held off the Cleveland Indians 6-5 on Friday night.

Michael Conforto and Alejandro De Aza also went deep for the Mets, who entered with 20 runs and a major league-low two homers in their first eight games.

Cleveland scored three times in the ninth before Jeurys Familia retired Jose Ramirez with two on for his third save.

De Aza had a leadoff homer in the fifth and finished with three hits from the No. 9 spot in the batting order. Cespedes also had three of New York’s 14 hits.

Bartolo Colon (1-1) allowed two runs in 51/3 innings. He struck out five and earned his 219th win, tying Pedro Martinez for second-most by a Dominican-born pitcher behind Juan Marichal (243).

Carlos Santana’s two-run homer off Addison Reed with two outs in the bottom of the ninth cut the margin to 6-4. Familia, pitching for the fourth time in five days, allowed Yan Gomes’ single. Marlon Byrd had an RBI single after a wild pitch. Juan Uribe drew a four-pitch walk, but Familia ended the rally there.

Conforto, moved up to third in the lineup, hit a solo homer in the first. De Aza’s drive in the fifth was his first hit of the season and it broke a 1-all tie. Cespedes added a two-run shot off starter Cody Anderson (0-1), and Walker connected off reliever Ross Detwiler.

It was Walker’s first home run batting right-handed since Sept. 7, 2014, with Pittsburgh against Chicago Cubs lefty Travis Wood, according to STATS LLC.

Mike Napoli had an RBI single in the first for the Indians.

De Aza’s home run was his first hit of the season and began New York’s big inning. The Mets were held to three or fewer runs seven times before Friday.

Anderson gave up five runs in 42/3 innings for his first loss since Aug. 1.

Both teams were denied runs early in the game. Santana’s apparent two-run homer down the right-field line in the first was taken off the board after the umpires conferred and ruled the ball foul.

Walker led off the second with a single and was called safe at home by plate umpire Dale Scott on Asdrubal Cabrera’s double, but the call was reversed after a challenge by Indians manager Terry Francona.

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Mets: RHP Matt Harvey has a 1.27 ERA in nine career interleague starts, but has not pitched against the Indians.

Indians: RHP Josh Tomlin makes his first appearance of the season. Inclement weather prevented him from taking his first two turns in the rotation.