PHILADELPHIA -- As reporters waited outside the visiting locker room, cheers and chants could be heard as the New York Mets reveled in another victory, this one a 9-4 decision over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night.

And why not?

The Mets are in first place and having fun. They are playing for jobs in October.

"I don't think there's any doubt," New York manager Terry Collins said. "I don't know if they talk about it or not. Right now, they just like what they're doing. They're enjoying winning. Winning is very, very contagious when you're getting going. Everybody wants a part of it."

Right-hander Bartolo Colon clearly wanted a part of this one at Citizens Bank Park, as he threw seven shutout innings to help the Mets (70-56) earn their sixth consecutive victory.

New York, which sits 6 1/2 games up on the Washington Nationals for first place in the National League East, is 17-6 in August and 23-5 in its past 28 games against Philadelphia, including 11-1 this season.

"This game was about Bartolo Colon getting us to where he got us to," Collins said. "He's got to give us six innings, and he gave us more than that. I salute him, he did a great job."

The last-place Phillies (50-77) lost their third straight -- all to the Mets in this four-game series. They still own the major leagues' worst record despite a 21-15 second-half mark.

"The Mets have had our number all year. We want to beat 'em," Philadelphia interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "The best thing to do, once again, (is to) put it behind us and beat 'em (Thursday). We've got to salvage a game out of this."

Colon, who entered Wednesday night 1-7 with a 5.54 ERA over his previous 11 starts, stymied the Phillies, striking out eight while allowing five hits and two walks.

After being hit hard and dancing out of trouble early, the 42-year-old veteran adjusted -- just as he has all season. Colon started using a bevy of off-speed pitches, and it worked.

"This is the most I've ever thrown breaking-ball pitches," Colon said through a translator. "Not only this season, but my whole entire career."

Colon (11-11) wasn't worried about his struggles.

"I don't really think about the past, I'm just thinking about the moment, the present," Colon said. "The good thing today is that I executed my pitches and we won -- that's the bottom line.

"When I started warming up in the bullpen, I had the feeling that everything was clicking, everything was on point."

His offense backed him up early, scored three first-inning runs, and then added a combined five runs in the final two innings.

First baseman Michael Cuddyer went 3-for-5 with a two-run home run and three RBIs to lead the Mets' offense, which has homered 10 times in the series. New York center fielder Yoenis Cespedes, shortstop Wilmer Flores and left fielder Michael Conforto collected two hits apiece.

"In my opinion, there's not a guy who's an easy out," Collins said of his lineup. "Not a guy. They can all hit a homer, they can all be dangerous. It's nice to be able to have that."

Cuddyer's long ball, a second-deck shot, came in the top of the eighth inning to extend New York's lead from 4-0 to 6-0.

Philadelphia answered with four runs in the bottom of the eighth. Third baseman Andres Blanco hit an RBI groundout, catcher Cameron Rupp drove in two with a double, and pinch hitter Jeff Francoeur added an RBI single.

With two outs and the tying run on base, reliever Tyler Clippard struck out second baseman Darnell Sweeney to quell the threat.

The Mets came right back with three runs in the ninth with the help of two errors by Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis to put the game back out of reach.

Philadelphia right-hander Jerad Eickhoff (1-1) took his first big-league loss in his second start and first at home. He went six innings and allowed four runs (three earned) while striking out six.

He admitted to having some butterflies.

"I think I was getting those out of the way in the first inning," he said. "Balls were catching more of the plate. Just getting those jitters out of the way."

Eickhoff threw a 40-pitch first inning that started with a blunder by center fielder Odubel Herrera. Mets right fielder Curtis Granderson, the game's opening batter, hit a high fly ball to center field that Herrera tracked down but dropped near the wall for a two-base error.

The Mets capitalized by batting around and collecting three runs on four hits. Second baseman Daniel Murphy plated Granderson on an RBI groundout. Cuddyer hit an RBI double, and Conforto delivered an RBI single.

Eickhoff settled down, retiring 16 straight before yielding another run in the sixth.

"He did an outstanding job after that first inning," Mackanin said. "I'm happy that he came out of it. That's more important than anything else. The fact that as poorly as he located his pitches in the first inning, he just turned it right around and located extremely well the rest of the way."

However, the Phillies already were in too deep against an opponent that is rolling.

"We're looking at trying to win our division and play good baseball through the next month," Collins said.

NOTES: Phillies 3B Maikel Franco (non-displaced fracture in left wrist) has a good chance of returning this season, according to Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin. Franco went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to Aug. 12. His splint is scheduled to be removed around Sept. 6. Franco has been cleared to resume all baseball activities except swinging a bat. ... Mets 3B David Wright was not in the lineup after starting the first two games in his return from the disabled list. Wright, who went 2-for-9 with a home run in the two games, was sidelined for more than four months with a hamstring injury and lower-back stenosis. ... Phillies 2B Darnell Sweeney made his first major league start and led off. He went 1-for-4 with a walk. Sweeney was acquired by the Phillies in the trade that sent 2B Chase Utley to the Los Angeles Dodgers. ... The Mets finish their four-game series with the Phillies on Thursday night. LHP Jonathon Niese (8-9, 3.80 ERA) is scheduled to start against Philadelphia RHP Aaron Harang (5-14, 4.67).