Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

Chris Stratton was cruising, but then the seventh inning came and the New York Mets tied up the game with the help from a former San Francisco Giants outfielder.

Michael Conforto hit a sacrifice fly to score Jeff McNeill, who went 4-for-4 on the night, and then Austin Jackson tied up the game with a single to score Wilmer Flores. The Mets then added four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to even up the four-game series with a 6-3 victory over the Giants at Citi Field on Tuesday night.

McNeil picked up his fourth hit of the night to score Jose Reyes to give the Mets the lead for good in the bottom of the eighth. Two batters later, Conforto launched a three-run home run to put the final runs on the board for the Mets.

Evan Longoria hit a two-run home run in the top of the first inning to give the Giants a 2-0 lead, and it looked like it would hold up until Stratton got into trouble in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Stratton, who was recalled from Double-A Richmond earlier in the day, and Derek Law was optioned to Sacramento to make room for Stratton. In all, Stratton went 6.1 innings, allowing two runs on six hits, not walking a batter and struck out four.

Tony Watson got into trouble in the bottom of the eighth inning, and was unable to keep the Mets off the board in the fateful frame, as he went one inning, allowing four runs on three hits, walking one and striking out one and fell to 4-5 on the season.

McNeill equaled his career-high with those four hits that included that double in the bottom of the eighth inning.

This was the second time since he was recalled that McNeill picked up four hits in the same game.

McNeill was not the only Mets player to have a big game, as Conforto hit a three-run homer and drove in four runs on the night.

The rookie picked up singles in his first three at-bats, and scored the Mets’ first run of the game on Conforto’s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Longoria’s home run off of Steven Matz in the top of the first inning was the first home run by the Giants since Andrew McCutchen hit one on Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.

It looked like Matz was in line for a loss, but ended up with a no-decision, as he went five innings, allowing two runs on five hits in his second start since returning from a strained pitching forearm.

Hunter Pence made the defensive play of the night, as he made an over-the-shoulder basket catch with his back to the field, a la Willie Mays in the 1954 World Series not too far from Citi Field at the Polo Grounds, which happened to the Mets first home in their first two seasons of 1962-1963 before moving into Shea Stadium in 1964.

Austin Slater drove in the Giants final run of the evening, as he singled in the top of the ninth inning in the top of the ninth inning.

NOTES: Buster Posey sat out the game, and according to reports, Posey may hip surgery that would end his season. Dereck Rodriguez, who is currently on the 10-day disabled list with hamstring issues ran prior to the game, and will go through pitcher’s drill tomorrow. Rodriguez is set to be activated from the disabled list on Friday, and scheduled to start that night against the Texas Rangers in the opener of a three-game series at AT&T Park.

UP NEXT: The Giants and Mets will meet again Wednesday at 4:10 pm PDT.

Casey Kelly will make his second start of the season in the third game against the Mets in place of Rodriguez. Kelly went 4.1 innings on Friday night against the Cincinnati Reds, while the Mets will send Noah Syndergaard to the mound, who went 5.2 innings, allowing four runs on eight hits against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.