FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- After costing Bobby Jones in the in the top of the seventh inning, Todd Zeile was quick to make amends in his next at-bat.

Zeile's 16th homer just inside the left-field foul pole in the bottom of the eighth inning, lifted Jones to his fourth straight victory and allowed the New York Mets to sweep a doubleheader from the Colorado Rockies, 4-3.

Zeile committed two costly miscues at first base in the seventh, when Colorado rallied to tie the game but snapped the tie in the eighth against Bobby Chouinard (1-2). Zeile lofted a 3-2 pitch from the Arizona reliever -- no stranger to allowing big homers against New York -- just over the wall and inside the line.

"It seemed to be right on the foul pole," Zeile said. "I wasn't sure if it was going to stay fair. As I stood there and it wasn't hooking, I started to run instead. I was glad Hollie (Todd Hollandsworth) wasn't able to get it.

"(I felt) fortunate. It doesn't often happen where you get a chance for redemption. Bobby pitched a great game, the play was difficult, it was unfortunate timing as it drew them even. There was nobody in the ballpark that wanted more to redeem that than me."

Jones (8-5) surrendered three runs -- two earned -- in eight innings. The veteran righthander, who has won four straight outings, surrendered just four hits and one walk. He has given up just eight earned runs and 26 hits in his last 31 innings and improved to 7-2 since agreeing to work on his mechanics at Class AAA Norfolk in mid-June.

"He hit his spots," Mets manager Bobby Valentine said. "His control has been excellent. He's throwing his breaking ball judiciously and hitting both sides of the plate."

"I thought I had good stuff," Jones said. "I was able to locate my fastball."

Armando Benitez struck out two in the ninth to record his 31st save in 35 opportunities. Benitez also saved the opener, which New York won, 7-5.

The Mets have won seven of eight and 18 of 22 to draw within two games of first-place Atlanta in the National League East. New York improved to 42-19 at Shea Stadium, the most home wins in the major leagues.

The Mets improved to 3-0 in doubleheaders and 24-14 in one-run games.

Colorado starter John Wasdin allowed three runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings, striking out five. Wasdin also recorded his first major league hit, a single in the fifth inning.

Rockies first baseman Todd Helton continued his torrid hitting with a double and homer, his 30th. He was 4-for-8 with three RBI in the doubleheader and is hitting .708 (17-for-24) in his last seven games. The hot streak has raised his batting average to .396, tops in the major leagues.

"His average is showing how good of a hitter he is," Jones said. "You make good pitches and he hits you hard. What are you going to do?"

"I've gone through stretches where I've hit the ball well and there have been stretches where I haven't," Helton said. "Right now, I feel confident at the plate. I'm seeing the ball well and that's the biggest key for me." Helton's RBI double in the first staked Colorado to a 1-0 lead but the Mets drew even in the third when Kurt Abbott singled, was bunted over and scored on Lenny Harris' single.

New York took a 2-1 lead in the fourth. Mike Piazza and Zeile singled and Jay Payton bounced into a forceout at second. Bubba Trammell followed with a sacrifice fly to right-center field.

The Mets tacked on a run in the fifth on doubles by Harris and Benny Agbayani.

Helton homered to left in the sixth to draw Colorado within 3-2 and Zeile's miscues in the seventh cost New York the lead. Hollandsworth grounded sharply to Zeile, who failed to come up with the ball. Compounding matters, right fielder Trammell fell down attempting to field it and Hollandsworth reached second.

Ben Petrick bunted Hollandsworth to third and pinch-hitter Todd Walker ripped a grounder to first that Zeile was unable to field cleanly, allowing Hollandsworth to score the tying run. Zeile got the out at first on the play and Jones escaped further damage by getting pinch-hitter and former Met Butch Huskey to ground out.