Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Endy Chavez won the Mets a critical September game with his bat and his arm, hitting the game-winning sacrifice fly in the 10th inning and throwing out Rickie Weeks trying to stretch a single into a double in the eighth frame, as New York slipped past Milwaukee, 6-5, at Miller Park.

The Mets maintained their two-game edge on the Phillies in the National League East race after Cole Hamels and Philadelphia blanked the Nationals in a 4-0 victory Tuesday night.

Pinch-hitter Daniel Murphy singled off Salomon Torres (6-4) to start the 10th frame and moved to third when Jose Reyes bunted and reached base after the throw into the runner hit Weeks' glove covering first and Reyes almost simultaneously.

"That's a really tough play," Milwaukee manager Ned Yost said. "The throw was thrown across the bag. Reyes is one of the fastest guys in the league. That's why Jason (Kendall) had to hurry his throw."

Chavez then lofted the game-winning sacrifice fly in his only at-bat of the game after entering as a late-game defensive replacement for Nick Evans.

Joe Smith (3-3) got the victory while recording just one out and Luis Ayala picked up his fifth save despite allowing two baserunners in Milwaukee's final at-bat.

"When you have a number of pitchers like we have, and we have put most of them in stressful situations, we are not afraid to call on them in those times," said Mets manager Jerry Manuel of the late-game situations. "If you keep it short, keep them having success then the next time they go out they will have more confidence in themselves."

The Mets won their third straight contest, while Milwaukee dropped back-to- back games after a three-game sweep of Pittsburgh.

Weeks finished 4-for-6 with a first-inning solo shot and two runs scored, while starting pitcher Manny Parra went 2-for-2 with two RBI and a run scored in defeat.

Carlos Beltran finished 2-for-3 with a three-run home run in the third frame, giving the Mets a 5-1 edge at the time. New York scored twice one inning earlier on Fernando Tatis' RBI double and Carlos Delgado's RBI groundout.

Milwaukee stormed back with a four-spot in the bottom of the fourth inning. Bill Hall singled and Kendall doubled before Parra helped himself with a two- run two-bagger. Weeks singled Parra to third and J.J. Hardy knocked him home with a base hit to left.

Corey Hart's single scored Weeks, but Beltran's low, bouncing throw nabbed Hardy trying to score from second base.