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Santana gets first taste of "Subway Series"

May 17, 2008 - 2:20 PM NY Mets (20-19) at NY Yankees (20-22) 1:05 pm EDT

BRONX, New York (Ticker) -- Johan Santana was brought to New York for these types of games.

Santana looks to lead the New York Mets to a much-needed victory over the cross-town rival New York Yankees in Saturday's opener of the "Subway Series."

Santana (4-2, 3.10 ERA) takes the mound a day later than normal after Friday's opener was postponed due to rain. The Mets desperately need a dominating start out of their ace.

The Mets dropped three of four to the lowly Washington Nationals, and had a players' only meeting on Friday after closer Billy Wagner called out his teammates for their lack of accountability following Thursday's 1-0 loss.

Santana was coveted by the Yankees, who ultimately did not want to trade their young pitchers to Minnesota for the southpaw.

Santana, who is 16-4 with a 2.27 ERA in interleague play, will try to help the Mets quiet the critics at least for one day. Facing the Yankees may help, since Santana is 3-0 with a 2.66 ERA in eight games against them and 2-0 with a 1.17 ERA in four starts here.

Santana will be opposed by fellow lefthander Andy Pettitte (3-4, 4.40), who allowed five runs and eight hits in four innings of a 7-1 loss to Tampa Bay on Monday.

The Yankees own a 35-25 all-time lead in this series, which began in 1997.