Mets 4, Astros 2

It's a new day at Shea Stadium. The mistakes of the past are beginning to be corrected, and those who would hamper the Mets' ability to win are beginning to be removed from the starting lineup. This afternoon I turned on the damnable YES Network to hear Met manager Art Howe's weekly interview with WFAN's Mike & The Mad Dog, and he came bearing excellent news. The Mets had come to their senses. The days of Roger Cedeno patrolling center field were over. Tonight he'd take a seat on the bench, and when he returns to the lineup, it will be in right field. The Timo Perez/Tsuyoshi Shinjo platoon that I've been asking for since Spring Training is finally a reality. Perez got the start tonight against Roy Oswalt with Cliff Floyd and Raul Gonzalez flanking him in the outfield.

The Mets got on the board early again as Perez got a walk with one out in the first, Floyd followed with a single and Mike Piazza followed with a walk to load the bases. Mo Vaughn grounded out to drive in the first run of the game.

Gonzalez led off the second for the Mets and in his first major league at bat of the season took Oswalt deep to left center to put the Mets up 2-0. Cedeno's out of the lineup and the Mets' outfielders have already produced two runs.

In the third inning, they made in a trifecta, as Ty Wigginton drove in Floyd with a single, giving starting pitcher Al Leiter all the runs he would need.

Leiter went six innings on 109 pithces, giving up just two runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out five, leaving his season ERA at 2.35. David Weathers pitched two scoreless innings in relief.

The Mets tacked on another run in the eighth when Jay Bell drove in Ty Wigginton, who had walked, with a sacrifice fly. Also in the eighth, Cedeno settled into a role where he might actually be an asset, pinch-running for Mo Vaughn.

And then it was time for Met fans to hold their breath, as Armando Benitez came in to try to preserve the two run lead. Of course, it wasn't quite as scary as if it'd been a one run lead, but I'm still not in a place where I can feel comfortable seeing him walking toward the mound. He gave up the standard double to Orlando Merced but managed to get through the inning without giving up any more hits, earning his sixth save of the year in ten chances. His WHIP and ERA are still an ungodly 2.29 and 6.35, respectively, thanks to an equally terrifying .353 batting average against.

Tomorrow, Pedro Astacio returns from injury to make his first major league start of the season. Here's hoping he looks more like 2002 (First Half) Astacio than 2002 (Second Half) Astacio. He will be opposed by Wade Miller, who is 0-1 with a 4.15 ERA and 1.52 WHIP so far this season.  ¶ joe | 12:12 AM |