NEW YORK -- Rarely has a 10-run lead ever felt as precarious for anyone as it did for the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night.

"It wasn't your typical laugher, because I felt like we squeaked through it," manager Pete Mackanin said after the Phillies held on for a 14-8 win over the New York Mets at Citi Field. "But a win's a win. So we're happy."

First baseman Darin Ruf went 3-for-5 with a career-high six RBIs for the Phillies, who improved to 2-13 this season against the National League East-leading Mets. Last week in Philadelphia, the Mets swept a four-game series in which they came back from five-run deficits in the series opener and finale.

"It wasn't pretty, but I'd like to think that we broke the spell," Mackanin said.

History seemed ready to repeat itself Tuesday, when Ruf hit a three-run homer to cap a five-run third and delivered an RBI single in the fifth against Mets left-hander Jonathon Niese (8-10) to extend the Phillies' lead to 6-0.

Niese gave up six runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out two over five innings Tuesday. He also gave up five runs in the third inning of his previous start against the Phillies last Thursday.

But the Mets scored four times in the bottom of the fifth -- via an RBI single by pinch-hitter Kelly Johnson, an RBI groundout by right fielder Curtis Granderson and a two-run homer by center fielder Yoenis Cespedes.

The Phillies then sent 11 batters to the plate and scored eight runs in the top of the sixth to take a 14-4 lead. Mets right-hander Bobby Parnell, activated earlier in the day following a disabled list stint for a phantom right shoulder injury, walked the first two batters he faced and committed a throwing error on a bunt by shortstop Freddy Galvis, which allowed third baseman Andres Blanco to score from second.

In his last three appearances, Parnell has allowed nine runs (six earned) while recording just two outs. He has a 6.52 ERA in 24 games this season.

"It was the bottom of the order and I thought 'We've got to get him back out there with what he's been through,'" Mets manager Terry Collins said of Parnell, who underwent Tommy John surgery last April. "Just didn't throw any strikes."

Left-hander Eric O'Flaherty, who has a 14.14 ERA in 12 games with the Mets, walked pinch-hitter Cameron Rupp. The Phillies piled on against right-hander Carlos Torres, who gave up a two-run single to centerfielder Darnell Sweeney, a two-run single to Ruf and a two-run double to Blanco.

"We've been made aware of how bad they've handed it to us this year," said Ruf, who doubled his previous career-high for RBI. "Especially with the situation they're in, we wanted to come out and put our best foot forward. And tonight, we did."

With a 10-run lead and an expanded September roster at his disposal, Mackanin resisted the urge to piece together the final four innings with untested options. After right-hander Hector Neris got the final out of the fifth, Mackanin called on right-handers Jeanmar Gomez and Luis Garcia -- who have appeared in 56 and 60 games this season, respectively -- to get the next nine outs.

As it turned out, the Mets didn't give the Phillies much reason to breathe easy by scoring one run apiece in each of the final four innings. Gomez (2-3) was credited with the win after allowing two runs in two innings. Garcia and right-hander Jerome Williams allowed a run apiece.

"I wanted to win the game," Mackanin said. "I went with who have been our best guys, I didn't want to mess around."

Still, nobody in the visitor's dugout exhaled until the final out of the bottom of the ninth.

"I bet if you ask a lot of people, it still felt like 3-2," Ruf said with a laugh. "I was thinking we'd go with (right-handed closer Ken) Giles in the ninth inning, even in an eight-run game, just to make sure."

Despite the loss, the Mets (73-59) remained 6 1/2 games ahead of the Washington Nationals, who blew a four-run lead in an 8-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.

"Obviously we had those two brutal innings," Collins said. "We'll regroup and come back tomorrow and get them."

Catcher Travis d'Arnaud, second baseman Daniel Murphy, shortstop Wilmer Flores and left fielder Michael Conforto all had an RBI apiece for the Mets in the final four innings.

NOTES: The Mets added seven players Tuesday by activating RHP Erik Goeddel, LHP Steven Matz, OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis and RHP Bobby Parnell from the disabled list, recalling INF/OF Eric Campbell and C Kevin Plawecki from Triple-A Las Vegas and purchasing the contract of OF Eric Young from Las Vegas. ... To make room for Goeddel and Young on the 40-man roster, the Mets outrighted INF Danny Muno and RHP Vic Black. ... The Phillies added three players, recalling RHP Dalier Hinojosa and purchasing the contracts of C Erik Kratz and RHP Colton Murray from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. ... Phillies RHP Aaron Harang has made 376 career starts. The rest of the Phillies' rotation has combined for 24.