The Mets finally raised the home run apple yesterday.
They also raised some hopes for the second half with a 9-7 decision over the Reds at Citi Field that sent Jerry Manuel’s club into the All-Star break toting a modest — yet still encouraging — two-game win streak.
How win- and run-starved are the Mets? They almost sounded as if the three-day break could wait, lest the blip of momentum from taking their first series in more than two weeks be lost.
“To have somewhat of a set lineup makes a big difference, and playing a little better defense is important, as well,” Manuel said. “We’re starting to do those things, so you hate to see three days come. But in the whole scheme of things, we really need those three days.”
At least the Mets won’t have to worry about hoisting the apple in center field after they ended an 80-inning home-run drought with long balls in the seventh from Brian Schneider and Fernando Tatis.
Of course, these being the Mets, nothing comes easy. The sun-splashed crowd of 40,014 was irate when the apple failed to rise for Tatis’ shot, which came one batter after Schneider’s, not realizing that the apple needs 2½ minutes to reset.
They gave a standing ovation when it belatedly rose between innings, but the Mets’ entire offense deserved a similar response after suddenly coming alive with 16 hits.
Six Mets had at least two hits, including the newly acquired Jeff Francoeur, and second baseman Luis Castillo led the way by going 3-for-4 with three runs and a walk.
As a result, yesterday marked just the second time since May 16 that the Mets scored more than eight runs in a game.
“Winning a series, getting some hits and scoring some runs was important for our confidence moving forward,” said David Wright, who was 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run. “Hopefully, it’s a springboard for the second half.”
The apple wasn’t the only thing that needed time to reset. That also applied to Mets starter Mike Pelfrey, who shook off a rough fifth inning — one that included his major league leading sixth balk — to improve to 7-4.
Actually, it was more a case of Pelfrey being allowed by Manuel and pitching coach Dan Warthen to pitch his way out of the problematic fifth.
They stuck with Pelfrey in a situation they normally would not, and the big right-hander responded. Pelfrey ended up going two more innings, not allowing a runner in either, and threw a season-high 115 pitches.
It obviously helped that the Mets had staked him to a 7-0 lead by the fifth after an early knockout of Reds starter Aaron Harang, but it was still a crunch-time situation for the notoriously fragile Pelfrey.
“Mike Pelfrey fought through some things, then got back on it again,” Manuel said. “That was very, very encouraging, because normally we relieve him [in the fifth if there is trouble]. But we know he needs to take that next step and come back from some things not going his way.”
Pelfrey, who walked the first two hitters in the fifth and gave up three runs, appreciated the chance to clean up his own mess.
“It was huge,” he said. “As a pitcher, you want to be left out there to work through some tough situations. He showed the faith in me to be able to do that, and I thought I responded.”
Now it’s up to Pelfrey and his teammates to see if they can get up off the mat after a trying, 42-45 first half and still make a run at the playoffs
“We’ve been through a lot, but we’re not out of this,” Wright said. “Not by a long shot.”
bhubbuch@nypost.com