Mark Canha, a foodie who is working on a travel book featuring restaurants he dines in while on the road, feasted Wednesday night.
The previously struggling outfielder devoured Phillies pitching and drove in all of the Mets’ runs in a 4-1 win in front of 39,641 at Citi Field.
The Mets (29-27) assured themselves of winning the series over their division rival before the finale Thursday and have bounced back after a 2-4 road trip.
They only needed a couple of hits Tuesday — a home run from Francisco Lindor and an RBI single from Eduardo Escobar — to win the series opener, and they only needed one lively bat a night later.
With the Mets trailing 1-0 in the third inning, Canha followed a Daniel Vogelbach walk with a two-run home run, his fourth of the season and first since May 3.
Canha who had gone 19 straight games without a homer, entered in a 5-for-23 skid and has been a below-average hitter for the first two months of the season.
Tommy Pham is playing better and the Mets now have capable young righties Mark Vientos and Francisco Alvarez, so there is more pressure for Canha’s bat to come around. Perhaps it has.
Canha stepped up for his second at-bat in the fourth inning, after a single from Pete Alonso and a pair of walks to Brett Baty and Vogelbach had loaded the bases with two outs.
Canha, the No. 8 hitter, fought back from an 0-2 hole against Aaron Nola and slapped a two-run single to right to extend the lead to 4-1. In his 48th game of the season, Canha picked up one-quarter of his 16 RBIs of 2023.
The Mets needed just six runs to beat the Phillies twice. Fittingly, Canha backed up Carlos “Cookie” Carrasco on a night when the Mets sure looked hungry.
Carrasco, who looks fixed after a rough beginning to his season, followed up Kodai Senga’s seven innings of brilliance Tuesday with six innings of excellence.
The Mets, who have struggled to get length out of a hurting rotation all year, improved to 15-0 this season when their starter has gone at least six innings.
The veteran right-hander allowed just one run, on a third-inning homer from Edmundo Sosa, on six hits and walked one.
After his first three starts of the season, Carrasco had a 8.56 ERA and he subsequently was sidelined with right elbow inflammation.
After a poor return outing off the IL, Carrasco has looked like his usual self for two starts in a row, holding the Cubs and Phillies to two runs in 12 ²/₃ innings.
With Carrasco returning to form, Senga stepping up and Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander at least healthy, the Mets’ rotation is in the best shape it has been this season.
Their bullpen, too, looked solid Wednesday.
Brooks Raley pitched out of trouble in a scoreless seventh with some help from Baty, who threw across the diamond to retire Trea Turner and avoid a bases-loaded jam.
Raley struck out Bryce Harper in the eighth inning, then handed the ball to Adam Ottavino, who recorded two outs before David Robertson escaped the ninth.
The Mets closer allowed two batters to reach, bringing the tying run to the plate. But Robertson struck out Sosa and Bryson Stott for his second save in as many nights and his 10th of the season.