Recker, Mets beat Rangers
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Flushing, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Anthony Recker hit a three-run homer during a five-run first inning and the New York Mets beat the Texas Rangers, 8-4, in the rubber match of a three-game series.
Kirk Nieuwenhuis added a solo homer and scored three runs for the Mets, who saw starter Zack Wheeler (4-8) give up one run on six hits over 6 1/3 innings.
Robinson Chirinos, Alex Rios and Leonys Martin homered for the Rangers, who went 1-6 on a seven-game road trip. Nick Tepesch (3-4) allowed six runs on five hits with four walks over six innings.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Mets exploded for five runs in the first. Curtis Granderson walked and raced home on Lucas Duda's two-out double to left-center field. Nieuwenhuis walked before Juan Lagares hit an RBI single to center. Recker followed with a three-run homer to left.
"You want to have quick innings, limit what other teams are doing because you have a big lead," Wheeler said. "It was nice to pitch with such a big lead."
Chirinos' solo homer in the fourth cut the gap to 5-1.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}New York went back up by five on Nieuwenhuis' solo homer in the sixth.
The Rangers left men on the corners in the seventh. Carlos Pena doubled and pinch-hitter Michael Choice singled to put men on first and third with one out. Dana Eveland got Shin-Soo Choo to go down swinging and Vic Black retired Elvis Andrus.
Daniel Murphy's RBI double in the bottom half made it a 7-1 contest.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Texas hit a pair of homers in the eighth off Gonzalez Germen. Rios led off with a homer to left. Adrian Beltre followed with a single and crossed the plate on Martin's blast to right. Jeurys Familia recorded the final two outs of the inning to keep it 7-4.
"You have to take it one inning at a time (and) claw your way back into the game." said Tepesch.
Ruben Tejada's RBI single in the bottom half accounted for the final margin.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Game Notes
The Mets placed pitcher Jonathon Niese on the 15-day disabled list prior to Sunday's game and recalled pitcher Buddy Carlyle from Triple-A Las Vegas ... Texas went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight.