I told them before the game is, look, we need to have a close game.We need to have an overtime game. We need to have a team

NEW YORK -- Bartolo Colon and the New York Mets are beginning to play much better. Now they need to start gaining some ground in the standings.Wilmer Flores launched a grand slam, Asdrubal Cabrera homered from both sides of the plate and even Colon had two helpful hits while pitching the third-place Mets to a 9-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night.Jose Reyes and Cabrera opened the Mets half of the first inning with consecutive home runs, just the second time the franchise has accomplished that feat. But the defending NL champions (65-63) remained 3 1/2 games behind St. Louis in a crowded race for the leagues second wild card.Weve still got things weve got to make sure we address and stay on top of, Mets manager Terry Collins said. Its not all a cakewalk from here on out.The 43-year-old Colon (12-7) carried a two-hitter into the eighth and took over the team lead in wins as New York began a pivotal 10-game homestand by winning for the fifth time in its past six.The only other time he got two hits in a game was in August 2002 with the Montreal Expos against Milwaukee.Colon just seems to own us, Philadelphia manager Pete Mackanin said. We cant square the ball up off of him.The pudgy pitcher lashed two sharp hits that delighted the crowd, a leadoff double in the fifth and a line-drive single in the sixth. He scored both times, first ahead of Flores third career slam and then in front of Cabreras second homer of the night.The switch-hitting shortstop became the first Mets player to go deep from both sides in one game since Carlos Beltran at Colorado on May 12, 2011.Its not easy, but Im excited that happened, Cabrera said.A tiring Colon gave up four straight hits to start the eighth but walked off the mound to a warm ovation and acknowledged the crowd by patting his glove and pointing two fingers.It means a lot. It took me back to my Cleveland days, when it was a sellout every time I went on the mound, and we feed off the energy, Colon said through a translator.Phillies left-hander Adam Morgan (1-8) gave up two homers on his first five pitches but recovered. He was trailing 2-1 when Neil Walker, just back from the paternity leave list after the birth of a baby girl, worked a nine-pitch walk to load the bases with two outs in the fifth.Flores reached down and lofted the next delivery over the fence in left-center. He was summoned out of the dugout for a curtain call.It feels good, Flores said. They make you feel good every time you do something special.Morgan, who has dropped eight straight decisions, allowed eight hits and struck out eight in five innings. He was fortunate to avoid a serious injury, too, when he barely ducked out of the way of Yoenis Cespedes screaming line drive.Morgan, hit by a line drive earlier this season, spun around and crouched in front of the mound as he caught his breath. The crowd let out a trio of collective groans as the big video board showed three replays of the ball whizzing just above Morgans head.I just know that Im learning. I see improvements. Sure, the home runs and the numbers will tell you different, but I see improvements, Morgan said.CHART CLIMBINGWith his 230th career win, Colon passed Luis Tiant for third-most by a pitcher born in Latin America. Dennis Martinez had 245 and Juan Marichal finished with 243.START ME UPThe only other time the first two Mets hitters homered was in July 2007 when Reyes and Ruben Gotay connected against Cincinnati. Not long before Reyes went deep Friday night, Gotay homered for the Long Island Ducks in the independent Atlantic League. ... Reyes hit his 23rd career leadoff homer and 18th with the Mets, tying teammate Curtis Granderson for the club record.TRAINERS ROOMMets: CF Justin Ruggiano struck out twice and then left in the sixth with left shoulder discomfort. He was replaced by Alejandro De Aza, who drew a leadoff walk to start a three-run sixth. ... RF Jay Bruce struck out all four times, drawing boos from the home crowd. Bruce was back in the lineup after missing Thursday nights victory in St. Louis. He left Wednesday nights game with cramping in his right calf.UP NEXTPhillies RHP Jeremy Hellickson (10-7, 3.60 ERA) starts the middle game of the series Saturday night against Noah Syndergaard (11-7, 2.61). Hellickson, set to make his fourth start this season against the Mets, has won four consecutive decisions overall and six of his last seven. Syndergaard, who is 3-0 with a 1.40 ERA in three career starts against Philadelphia, is coming off eight scoreless innings of two-hit ball at San Francisco on Sunday. Pittsburgh Penguins Gear . Louis Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey last Sunday. The fine is the fourth this season for Goldson. He was fined $30,000 for a hit on the New York Jets Jeff Cumberland in Week 1. Pittsburgh Penguins Store . SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. https://www.cheappenguinsjersey.com/ .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. Cheap Penguins Jerseys . After Martin Skrtel put the Reds in front from close range at Stamford Bridge after only four minutes, Hazard hit back in the 17th with a superb strike. Etoo gave Jose Mourinhos team a decisive lead from Oscars back pass in the 34th. Custom Pittsburgh Penguins Jerseys . The defence is doing its part, too. Drew Brees threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first half and the guys on the other side made sure that was enough, sending the Saints to a 17-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas -- Kentucky spent November romping its way to lopsided wins and leaving little doubt who should be the No. 1-ranked team in the AP Top 25 .Coach John Calipari heads into December wondering how his young, athletic bunch will handle playing in a close game as the schedule gets tougher, starting Saturday against No. 11 UCLA.The question becomes now how good can we be, Calipari said Monday night after a highlight-filled 115-69 win against Arizona State in the Bahamas. And it may not be every night. One of the things I told them before the game is, look, we need to have a close game.We need to have an overtime game. We need to have a team make their first 10 shots and see how we respond. We need to shoot 32 percent and still win a game. We need to be in tough physical battles and know who can respond.So far, the Wildcats (7-0) appear to have no shortage of options, from DeAaron Fox posting only the programs second triple-double against the Sun Devils to Malik Monk scoring a game-high 23 points to Bam Adebayo providing a rugged physical presence inside.The Wildcats closest game this season has been a 69-48 win against Michigan State on Nov. 15.In addition to Saturdays visit from the Bruins (7-0), Kentuckys December schedule also includes a game against No. 3 North Carolina in Las Vegas and a trip to No. 14 Louisville.LEAGUE THROWDOWNThe ACC/Big Ten Challenge headlines the week ahead for Top 25 teams.On Tuesday night, No. 22 Syracuse (4-1) visits No. 17 Wisconsin (5-2), while Michigan State -- out of this weeks poll after a 4-3 start -- visits No. 6 Duke (6-1).On Wednesday, No. 15 Purdue (5-1) visits No. 14 Louisville (5-1), while No. 3 UNC (7-0) visits No. 13 Indiana (4-1) -- which tumbled 10 spots in the poll after a loss at IPFW. No. 6 Virginia (6-0) also hosts Ohio State.BUSY SATURDAYIn addition to the UCLA-Keentucky game, Saturdays schedule features a busy day of ranked matchups.ddddddddddddThe biggest figures to be No. 9 Baylors visit to No. 7 Xavier. The Musketeers (6-0) have been in the top 10 all season, but Baylor (6-0) went from getting zero votes in the first two polls to No. 20 after a win against Oregon and now to No. 9 after beating VCU, Michigan State and Louisville to win the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas.Weve got bigger goals, Bears coach Scott Drew said after rallying from 22 down to beat the Cardinals in the Atlantis title game. And well be focused on achieving them. As long as everybody listens to the upperclassmen and buys in with that, then we can accomplish those.The other marquee matchups that day are No. 25 West Virginia at No. 6 Virginia and No. 8 Gonzaga at No. 16 Arizona.NEWCOMERSNo. 18 Butler, No. 20 South Carolina and No. 24 Florida are poll newcomers. The Bulldogs won their poll debut at Utah on Monday night. The Gamecocks host Vermont and the Gators visit North Florida, both on Thursday.FAREWELL (FOR NOW)Four teams dropped out of what was really a top 26 last week: Texas from No. 22, Michigan State from No. 24, and Michigan and Florida State from a tie at No. 25.WATCH LISTMaryland and Cincinnati could find their way into next weeks poll.The Terrapins (7-0) were six points behind West Virginia for this weeks final spot. They have home games this week against Pittsburgh in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and Oklahoma State.Cincinnati (5-1) was third among teams in Others Receiving Votes and visits No. 19 Iowa State on Thursday.---Follow Aaron Beard at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap---More AP college basketball at http://collegebasketball.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-Top25 ' ' '