Francoeur has two hits in second game with Mets

New York — Gary Sheffield had three RBIs and Daniel Murphy drove in two runs to key a rare robust offense, Mike Pelfrey pitched seven sharp innings and the New York Mets beat the Cincinnati Reds 9-7 on Sunday.

The Citi Field crowd of 40,014 took delight in the Mets’ best offensive output at home since June 24, when they scored 11 against St. Louis. They event chanted for the appearance of the home run apple in center field after Fernando Tatis hit a pinch-hit homer an out after Brian Schneider led off the seventh with New York’s first home run in 80 innings.

The apple popped up at the end of the inning.

Luis Castillo had three hits and scored three runs, David Wright hit a long RBI double and Jeff Francoeur had two hits in his second game with New York after being traded by the Braves.

Francoeur is 4-for-9 in New York since the trade.