NEW YORK -- The New York Mets' task entering Wednesday was to forget about Tuesday. That was probably easy for shortstop Ruben Tejada, whose task entering this season was to forget the last two years.

Tejada continued his resurgence Wednesday night, when he collected two hits, including an inside-the-park home run, and four RBIs as the Mets beat the Philadelphia Phillies. 9-4, at Citi Field.

Such performances were expected to be the norm for Tejada when he reached the major leagues as a 20-year-old in 2010 and batted .271 with 56 extra-base hits in 288 big league games through 2012.

"When I came here, they told me ‘this kid is really going to be a good player,'" said Mets manager Terry Collins, who joined the organization in 2010 and became manager in 2011.

Collins was mystified when Tejada hit just .224 with 28 extra-base hits in 176 games in 2013 and 2014. Tejada began this season as the Mets' utility infielder but has established himself as the regular shortstop by batting .286 with two homers and 13 RBIs in 36 games since July 9.

"He can still be a good player, but it's up to him to make sure that he plays with the energy he's playing with now," Collins said. "He's a tough at-bat. He'll take a single, he's got enough power to be a little bit dangerous."

Tejada showed off those traits in the second inning Wednesday, when he followed an RBI double by second baseman Kelly Johnson by looping an opposite field shot to right field off Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola.

Domonic Brown tried to make a running catch but missed the ball, crashed into the wall in foul territory and fell head-first over the wall. Second baseman Cesar Hernandez raced all the way to the warning track to get the ball as Tejada motored around the bases for the Mets' first inside-the-park homer since Angel Pagan did it May 19, 2010.

The homer extended the Mets' lead to 3-0 and New York, which lost 14-8 on Tuesday, was never threatened on its way to its 10th win in the last 13 games.

"Keep it simple," Tejada said. "Keep playing like we're playing right now."

The Mets extended the lead to 6-0 in the third, when first baseman Daniel Murphy hit an RBI double and scored on rookie left fielder Michael Conforto's two-run homer.

Tejada had an RBI groundout in the fifth and a run-scoring single in the seventh. Centerfielder Yoenis Cespedes hit a long solo homer in the eighth.

With the win, the Mets (74-59) ensured they'd remain at least 6 1/2 games ahead of the Washington Nationals in the National League East. New York is attempting to make the playoffs for the first time since 2006.

"You have an ugly night it happens, it's part of the game, you've got to move on, you've got to get ready for the next day," Collins said. "It goes away. It's a story for 24 hours and then you go out and you have a big game and everybody talks about that. I think that's a big trait for us to have as we head into the next month."

Cespedes and catcher Travis d'Arnaud had three hits apiece while Johnson, Conforto and third baseman David Wright had two hits each.

"We've created this environment where we expect to win," Johnson said. "And when you lose we know we'll get them tomorrow."

Right-hander Matt Harvey (12-7) picked up the win despite allowing four runs, nine hits and one walk while striking out nine in 6 1/3 innings. He allowed as many runs Wednesday as he did in his previous six starts combined.

The Phillies (53-81) have lost seven of 10. Philadelphia is 2-14 this season against the Mets.

"Things just seem to happen when we play the Mets," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said.

The Phillies cut the gap in half in the fifth, when pinch-hitter Erik Kratz delivered a two-run double two batters before second baseman Cesar Hernandez hit an RBI single. Rookie right fielder Darnell Sweeney homered in the seventh.

Rookie right-hander Aaron Nola (5-2) took the loss after allowing six runs, nine hits and no walks while striking out four in a career-low four innings. He gave up just four runs and nine hits in his previous three starts combined.

"My body and my arm felt good the first inning and things kind of just unraveled," Nola said. "I missed a couple spots and they really made me pay for it."

NOTES: Mets 1B Daniel Murphy left after the third inning with discomfort in his left quad. He said he felt fine afterward and that it was a precautionary exit. … New York LHP Steven Matz, activated from the disabled list Tuesday, will start in place of rookie RHP Noah Syndergaard on Sunday against the Miami Marlins. Syndergaard is being skipped to cut his innings. ... Mets INF Wilmer Flores traveled home to Venezuela to be with his grandfather, who suffered a heart attack. ... Phillies RF Domonic Brown will see a specialist Thursday to determine if he suffered a concussion. … 3B Maikel Franco (broken left wrist) felt pain while taking 20 dry swings in the batting cage. Franco, who was injured Aug. 11, might be done for the season.