Aaron Nola kept pace in the National League Cy Young Award race Friday night, when he earned his 16th win by allowing three runs over seven innings as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the host New York Mets 4-3 in the opener of a three-game series at Citi Field.

The Phillies, who entered the day 3 1/2 games behind the division-leading Atlanta Braves in the NL East, won for just the sixth time in 18 games. The Mets have won 11 of 19.

Nola (16-4) gave up three hits and one walk while striking out eight as he moved into a tie for the NL lead in wins with one of his Cy Young competitors, Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer. Nola's ERA rose from 2.23 to 2.29 as he fell from second in the NL to third in that category, behind Scherzer (2.28) and Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom (1.68), who is scheduled to pitch Sunday's series finale.

Nola appeared as if he would absorb a tough-luck no-decision when he gave up a game-tying solo homer to Dominic Smith with one out in the bottom of the seventh. But Rhys Hoskins led off the eighth with a homer to left off Tyler Bashlor (0-3).

Seranthony Dominguez tossed a perfect eighth before Tommy Hunter earned his fourth save with a 1-2-3 ninth.

The homer by Hoskins capped an uncommonly back-and-forth low-scoring affair. Jay Bruce's homer leading off the second put the Mets ahead before Carlos Santana hit a two-run homer to give the Phillies the lead in the third. Jeff McNeil tied the score in the bottom of the inning with an RBI double.

The Phillies took the lead in the sixth, when ex-Mets infielder Asdrubal Cabrera hit an RBI single. Cabrera, who helped New York reach the NL wild-card game in 2016, received a warm ovation following a pregame video tribute.

Mets left-hander Steven Matz allowed two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out eight over five innings of his start.

--Field Level Media