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After rain out, Santana ready to go for Mets

Apr 29, 2008 - 1:23 PM Pittsburgh (10-15) at NY Mets (13-11) 7:10 pm EDT

FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) - After the series opener was rained out, Johan Santana had an extra day to think about his second start at Shea Stadium as the New York Mets host the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday.

Santana (3-2, 3.12 ERA) was booed off the mound in his first home start on April 12 when he allowed three home runs in a 5-3 loss to Milwaukee.

The former Cy Young award winner has won two straight starts since then. The lefthander allowed two runs and seven hits in seven innings - and doubled twice - in a 7-2 victory over Washington on Wednesday.

Chances are the three-time All-Star will have much more success in his second home start against the Pirates, who have lost nine of their last 12 games.

Carlos Delgado snapped out of a 4-for-46 slump by blasting a pair of home runs in a 6-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Sunday. His decision to snub the fans' request for a curtain call in that game will do little to end the boos he had heard of late.

Pittsburgh, which is coming off a 5-1 victory over Philadelphia on Sunday, will send ace Ian Snell to the hill.

Snell (2-1, 4.45) yielded four runs and eight hits in six innings, but did not figure into the decision in a 7-4 victory over St. Louis on Wednesday.