Colon dedicates MLB-leading 6th win to mom

PHILADELPHIA -- Through six innings Sunday, Bartolo Colon did his job.

The 41-year old right-hander had held the Phillies to a pair of runs, before giving up a pair of hits to lead off the seventh and end his day in the Mets' 7-4 win at Citizens Bank Park. As he has done all season, Colon gave his team enough to win, becoming the Majors' first pitcher to reach six wins in 2015.

"It's really special because it is Mother's Day," Colon said through an interpreter. "I just want to dedicate this to all the mothers that are not here and are in a better place. Just happy that it happened today."

Colon, whose mother, Adriana, passed away last August, worked efficiently and extended his club record of games without issuing a walk to six straight and 40 1/3 innings. He was the only starter not wearing spikes with pink laces or highlights in honor of Mother's Day, but he let his work to do the tribute.

"I'm throwing strikes and attacking the zone," Colon said. "They were swinging early in the count so they were helping a lot.

"When I was younger, I would see the [radar] gun, and every time it was about throwing hard. When I saw the 100 [mph], I was overthrowing. Now, I'm a more complete pitcher and it's not about the velocity. It's about execution."

The Mets fell behind in the third when Colon surrendered a one-out solo home run to Chad Billingsley on a pitch that caught too much of the plate. Colon looked a bit disgusted, but the veteran pitcher showed his experience and got the next two outs. He gave up another run in the fourth but settled in, striking out six.

"When you play behind him you know he's not walking anybody," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "So you better be ready because they are going to put the ball in play. That's big when you are playing defense because you know you are going to be involved and they are ready to help. He's a pro."