The first four hitters in the New York Mets' lineup had at least three hits apiece and the team pounded out 14 hits to beat the Detroit Tigers 14-6 in the opening game of their series at Citi Field on Tuesday.

Angel Pagan went 4-for-6 and drove in four runs, falling a home run short of hitting for the cycle. Ike Davis went 3-for-6 with three RBIs, David Wright was 3-for-3 with two RBIs and Jose Reyes went 3-for-6 with an RBI. Pagan, Wright and Reyes each scored three runs.

The Mets did most of the damage against Detroit's bullpen after a 58-minute rain delay knocked starter Justin Verlander out of the game in the third inning. Verlander (8-5) was charged with five runs on five hits in two-plus innings.

The 14 runs is was a season-high for New York.

Mets starter Jonathon Niese came back after the long delay having not allowed a hit through three innings, but he was roughed up in the fourth and fifth. He gave up six runs on seven hits, leaving with two outs in the fifth. Fernando Nieve (2-3) pitched 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief for the win.

Rookie Brennan Boesch went 2-for-3 with three RBIs for the Tigers. Boesch hit his 11th homer of the season in the fourth.