PHILADELPHIA (AP) — As the losses mounted and the Phillies tumbled far out of first place Trevor Cahill Jersey , it was clear many players were pressing.Philadelphia manager Gabe Kapler noticed something different about Jorge Alfaro on Tuesday, though, long before the rookie catcher delivered the biggest blow of the night.Alfaro hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the sixth inning and the Phillies rallied past the New York Mets 5-2 to improve their faint playoff hopes.“It was quite evident from the very beginning that he was standing a little looser in the batter’s box and swinging with a little less, I guess, ferociousness,” Kapler said of Alfaro, who finished 2 for 3. “And the bat was whistling through the zone.”Philadelphia overcame an uneven outing from ace Aaron Nola and a home run by starter Steven Matz that made him the third Mets pitcher to go deep in consecutive appearances.The Phillies’ third win in 10 games moved them within 5½ games of NL East-leading Atlanta, which lost 8-1 at St. Louis. And the Phillies insist they still have a shot with 12 games left.“We have a chance for sure,” Nola said. “We have seven games (coming up) against the Braves.”Wilson Ramos and Justin Bour delivered pinch-hit RBI hits in a five-run sixth before Alfaro drilled a curveball from Drew Smith (1-1) to left-center for his 10th homer.And with that, Matz’s eventful performance was wasted by the Mets.The left-hander had zero homers in his first 70 major league games before connecting last Thursday against Miami. He entered Tuesday hitting .093 (4 for 43) this season and .140 in his career, but lifted a curveball to left against Nola in the third that just cleared the wall and withstood a video review to put New York ahead 1-0.What’s gotten into Matz?“I don’t really know,” he said, smiling. “I have no explanation for you.”The other Mets pitchers to homer in back-to-back outings were Hall of Famer Tom Seaver (1972) and Ron Darling (1989).Matz worked around five walks and gave up two hits in five scoreless innings. He also snagged a line drive behind his legs to start a double play, before the bullpen faltered and the Mets’ bats went silent.“He’s a great athlete. Strong kid and he kind of put it on display tonight,” manager Mickey Callaway said. “He’s just a good baseball player.”Pat Neshek (3-1) relieved Nola and got the final out of the sixth. Seranthony Dominguez Melky Cabrera Jersey , Tommy Hunter and Hector Neris each pitched a scoreless inning as the Phillies improved to 7-11 against the Mets this season.Neris earned his 11th save.Nola allowed two runs and six hits with nine strikeouts and two walks in 5 2/3 innings as his ERA climbed to 2.44. He’s given up eight home runs in September after allowing seven over the first five months of the season.Connecting against Nola, one of Mets ace Jacob deGrom’s competitors for the NL Cy Young Award, was not lost on Matz.“I told him, that was for you, friend,” Matz said.TRAINER’S ROOMMets: Jay Bruce started in right field, the fourth straight game he has not played first base. But Callaway said Bruce’s troublesome back is fine and he’ll return to first soon.Phillies: Alfaro stayed in after Jacob Rhame drilled him on the arm with a fastball in the eighth, his first plate appearance after his home run. Alfaro was receiving treatment after the game and was unavailable to speak with reporters. . Ex-Mets INF Asdrubal Cabrera, who exited Monday’s game early with a left calf strain, and 3B Maikel Franco (right shoulder) were out. Kapler put Scott Kingery at shortstop and J.P. Crawford at third.WHEELER DECISIONThe Mets were still mulling whether to shut down RHP Zack Wheeler, who has pitched nearly 100 more innings than last season. “The main things we want is him going into the offseason feeling good about the season and being totally healthy,” Callaway said.CROWDED CLUBHOUSELHP Aaron Loup was activated off the disabled list, giving Philadelphia the September limit of 40 players. Kapler used 18 in the game.HIJINKSMets RHP Noah Syndergaard swiped the Phillie Phanatic’s four-wheeler before the game and drove around the outfield as the mascot chased him on foot. . After dealing with real rats in the dugout in Boston last weekend, a long-tailed plastic rat was spotted in the Mets clubhouse before the game.UP NEXTSyndergarrd (12-3, 3.26 ERA), who has won three straight starts and four consecutive decisions http://www.angelsfanproshop.com/authentic-zack-cozart-jersey , goes for the Mets in the season series finale Wednesday night against RHP Zach Eflin (10-7, 4.26). ST. LOUIS (AP) — Paul DeJong closed out a rough August with two big swings.It’s another positive sign for the rolling St. Louis Cardinals.DeJong hit a three-run homer and a two-run single for a career-high five RBIs, helping Austin Gomber and the Cardinals pound the Cincinnati Reds 12-5 on Friday night.“Just trying to find my rhythm these last couple weeks,” said DeJong, who batted just .202 in August. “I feel like I’ve been struggling a little bit. Just constantly working, trying to find my swing and find my rhythm. Today I felt like it showed up.”Matt Carpenter hit his NL-best 35th homer as St. Louis pulled within 3 1/2 games of NL Central-leading Chicago. Gomber (5-0) pitched seven effective innings and also contributed a two-run double.The surging Cardinals have won eight of 10 to improve to 28-13 since the All-Star break. They also lead the NL wild-card standings.Scooter Gennett and Scott Schebler had three hits apiece for last-place Cincinnati, which has dropped three straight and eight of nine.Homer Bailey (1-13) was charged with seven runs, three earned, and nine hits in five innings.“He’s getting closer and closer being what he can be,” Cincinnati interim manager Jim Riggleman said. “But, as he goes through it, he’s not getting away with anything. Hitters are all over his stuff.”Gennett had an RBI single in the Reds’ two-run first, but the Cardinals took over from there.Gomber hit a tying double before Carpenter connected in the second, sending a drive down the right-field line. DeJong added his 15th homer in the third.The Cardinals have been getting some key hits from their pitching staff lately, including recent homers by starters John Gant and Miles Mikolas.“There’s a lot of competition, we push each other Ian Kinsler Jersey ,” Gomber said. “I was able to put a good swing on it, that’s probably the best swing I’ve taken my entire life.”Cincinnati closed to 7-5 when Schebler hit a two-run shot and Jose Peraza added a sacrifice fly in the eighth. But St. Louis responded with five runs in the bottom half.Patrick Wisdom hit his second homer. DeJong drove in Yadier Molina and Jose Martinez, and Yairo Munoz added another two-run single.The Reds dropped 1-18 in Bailey’s 19 starts this year.“I think it’s almost like a snowball effect,” DeJong said about overcoming the early deficit. “We’ve done it a few times, come from behind and all of a sudden it becomes our new normal. Whenever we’re down, we don’t expect to stay down and we try to pick each other up. It almost gives us an extra boost.”LOFTY COMPANYCarpenter became the fourth lefty batter to hit at least 35 homers in a season for St. Louis, joining Stan Musial, Jim Edmonds and Johnny Mize.PITCHING, PITCHING, PITCHINGMatt Wisler relieved Bailey in his first appearance with Cincinnati. Wisler was acquired in a July 30 trade with Atlanta and recalled from Triple-A Louisville on Friday.Wisler allowed one hit in two scoreless innings. Infielder Brandon Dixon got the final out for the Reds, retiring Wisdom on a fly ball to deep right-center.TRAINING ROOMCardinals: OF Marcell Ozuna (right shoulder inflammation) is expected to be activated Saturday, but manager Mike Schildt said the outfielder will see limited action for the near future. … RHP Michael Wacha (oblique) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Saturday. He has been out since June 21.UP NEXTReds: RHP Luis Castillo (7-11, 5.07 ERA) gets the ball on Saturday. He went 1-3 with a 5.57 ERA in four August starts.Cardinals: RHP Daniel Poncedeleon (0-0, 2.08 ERA) returns as part of the team’s September promotions.