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Santana, Castro help Mets to much-needed win

May 28, 2008 - 3:32 AM By Doug Mittler PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) - Johan Santana stopped some of the bleeding and restored a semblance of order for the New York Mets.

Santana threw seven effective innings and Fernando Tatis and Ramon Castro each had a pair of run-scoring singles as the Mets won for just the second time in their last nine games with a 5-3 victory over the Florida Marlins on Tuesday.

The last 10 days have been turbulent ones for the Mets, including a four-game sweep at the hands of the Atlanta Braves and some ill-advised comments by manager Willie Randolph directed at the club-owned television network.

Randolph retained his job, at least for now, after a meeting with ownership on Monday, but the losing continued.

Enter Santana (6-3), who worked in and out of trouble to hand the first-place Marlins just their second loss in eight games.

"We needed the win bad, I know that," said closer Billy Wagner, who threw a scoreless ninth for his 10th save in 12 chances. "Johan's the guy we look to to stop the bleeding."

The two-time Cy Young Award winner allowed three runs and eight hits with two walks with seven strikeouts. Santana allowed his 12th homer of the season when Cody Ross, who drove in two runs, connected in the sixth.

"I was just protecting the lead," Santana said. "Every pitch I threw with a purpose. I was not trying to do too much. It was a great effort from everyone."

Randolph gave several regulars, including struggling first baseman Carlos Delgado, the night off, and it was reserves Tatis and Castro who provided the bulk of the offense.

"The bench guys did an outstanding job," Randolph said. "That's huge when you're scuffling to score runs."

New York jumped all over Andrew Miller (4-4) in the first as Jose Reyes, who hit a pair of homers in Monday's loss, led off the game with a double to extend his hitting streak to 12 games.

Reyes then beat an ill-advised throw from Miller to third on a sacrifice by Luis Castillo. A walk to David Wright loaded the bases before a sacrifice fly by Damion Easley and RBI singles by Tatis and Castro made it 3-0.

Tatis increased the Mets' lead to 4-1 with an RBI single in the fifth to chase Miller, who allowed four runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings.

"I kind of live by my fastball and I wasn't able to do my job," Miller said. "The first and fifth innings pretty much (did me in)." Duaner Sanchez worked around a leadoff double to Luis Gonzalez in the eighth, and Wagner retired the side in order in the ninth.

The Marlins had their chances, loading the bases in the second on three singles but settling for one run on a fielder's choice grounder by Ross. Santana struck out Dan Uggla with runners aboard to end the fifth and seventh.

"We'll just look to take two out of three," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "We have the opportunity to do that tomorrow."