NEW YORK -- Terry Collins' tongue was planted firmly in cheek Monday morning, when the New York Mets manager said struggling right-hander Bartolo Colon would not change his between-starts routine because "he's been pitching for 50 years." But Collins knew Colon's unflappability and experience made him the right candidate to stop the Mets' recent skid.

Colon threw six solid innings the day after his 42nd birthday and moved into a tie for the major league lead in wins as the Mets snapped a three-game losing streak with a 6-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field.

"It's nice to have Bartolo, who isn't going to beat himself out there," Collins said afterward. "If you catch the ball, if he makes pitches and you catch the ball behind him, you're going to look up in the seventh inning and be in the game."

Colon's effort came less than 24 hours after the Mets (25-21) lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-1 to complete a three-game sweep in which New York was outscored 21-4. Collins called a team meeting following the loss Sunday, and Colon, who improved to 7-3, said he welcomed the opportunity to be the pitcher asked to try to reverse the Mets' fortunes.

"It's really good to be in that position," Colon said through his interpreter, bullpen coach Ricky Bones. "I feel it's a challenge not only for me but for the rest of the team. We've got to go out and perform (after) being pushed by the manager in a meeting like that."

Colon, who gave up 15 runs (13 earned) over 9 1/3 innings in his previous two starts, wasn't in vintage form Monday, when he allowed three runs on six hits and two walks while striking out six over six innings. He has walked four batters in his last two starts after walking just one in his first eight.

The Phillies took a 2-1 lead in the third, when Colon gave up four straight two-out hits, including a two-run single by second baseman Chase Utley. In the fifth, Colon walked the leadoff batter -- right-handed pitcher Severino Gonzalez -- and gave up two more hits before Gonzalez scored on a game-tying sacrifice fly to the warning track in center field by first baseman Ryan Howard.

"Howard just missed that one to center field," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "That could have made a big difference for us today."

But Colon retired the final five batters he faced and moved into position for the win when shortstop Wilmer Flores hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth. He is the third seven-game winner in the major league, joining a pair of right-handers, the Seattle Mariners' Felix Hernandez and the St. Louis Cardinals' Michael Wacha.

"You don't pitch for 20 years in the big leagues without having a clue," Collins said. "Nothing changes with him. He has that constant approach. He knows what he does well. And when things aren't really good, he doesn't get upset by it. He just concentrates a little more on making better pitches."

The 5-foot-11, 285-pound Colon also entertained the crowd of 30,946 by delivering a sharp single to left field in the fifth inning and later tagging up and taking third base on a long fly out to center by center fielder Juan Lagares.

The hit was just the 13th in 177 big league at-bats for Colon, who is the second-oldest player in the majors.

"He's must-see TV when he comes to the plate," Mets left fielder Michael Cuddyer said with a grin.

Right-hander Jeurys Familia, the Mets' fourth pitcher, earned his 14th save with a hitless ninth.

Flores' homer was his seventh, most among major league shortstops. Cuddyer hit a solo homer in the fourth while first baseman Lucas Duda had a solo shot in the third for the Mets, who equaled a season high for homers.

Second baseman Daniel Murphy had two hits, including a first-inning RBI single that scored right fielder Curtis Granderson (two hits). Murphy also began the fourth-inni