NEW YORK -- Right-hander Vince Velasquez struck out a career-high nine batters in his Philadelphia Phillies' debut on Saturday night and Ryan Howard blasted an opposite-field home run to provide the game's only offense as the Phillies earned their first win of the season by edging the New York Mets 1-0 at Citi Field.

The Phillies (1-4) avoided their first 0-5 start since 1934. Philadelphia has been outscored 26-13 this season.

Velasquez, who was acquired from the Houston Astros in a seven-player deal Dec. 12, earned his second big-league win after allowing three hits and three walks over six innings. He retired 15 of the final 19 batters he faced -- a span in which he collected all of his strikeouts -- following a laborious 26-pitch first inning.

Velasquez and a quartet of relievers allowed only three baserunners as far as second base -- and none as far as third base. The Phillies bullpen entered the game with a 12.66 ERA.

Right-hander Jeanmar Gomez earned his second big league save with a 1-2-3 ninth in which he threw just six pitches.

Howard, one of only two players remaining from the Phillies' World Series-winning 2008 squad, homered leading off the fifth against Mets right-hander Bartolo Colon. It was Howard's 45th homer against the Mets, most among active players and tied for fifth-most all-time with Hank Aaron.

Cesar Hernandez and Cameron Rupp each had two hits for the Phillies.

Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera had two hits for the Mets (2-2).

Colon took the loss despite allowing just the one run on five hits and no walks while striking out seven over six innings. Colon, who has 218 career wins, was looking to tie Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez for the second-most victories by a Dominican-born pitcher.

NOTES: The game started on time at 7:10 p.m. ET despite day-long rains and a first-pitch temperature of 41 degrees. ... Mets RHP Jacob deGrom, who left his start on Friday after six innings with a sore right lat, is scheduled to throw Sunday. The Mets will know then if he can take his next scheduled turn on Wednesday. ... Mets 3B David Wright got a planned day off. He was diagnosed with spinal stenosis last season and he and manager Terry Collins agreed it was better to sit Saturday than Sunday. ... Phillies 3B Maikel Franco, who was hit in the left forearm by a pitch on Thursday and sat out Friday's game, returned to the lineup. ... The Phillies' start was their worst since 1883 when they opened 0-8.