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As he's endured a rocky start to the 2012 season, Mets starter Dillon Gee has been battling himself, trying to find the right groove. He's placed self-imposed pressure, telling himself he needs good starts. It contributed to a 5.44 ERA entering Friday's start.

"Lately in those games I was up in the zone a lot and mechanically I felt out of whack," Gee said. "I wasn't in sync, my right foot didn't know what my left foot was doing, and I felt lost to be honest with you."

After battling through the first inning against the Padres on Friday, a quick chat with pitching coach Dan Warthen reinforced to Gee that he needed to slow down and focus on locating his pitches. Simple -- yet direct -- advice that helped the youngster.

Ultimately, Gee found his groove on the mound, located his pitches and delivered his second-best outing of the season as he threw seven innings of one-run ball in the Mets' 6-1 victory. He struck out a career-best nine hitters as he improved to 4-3.

It marked the first time he won back-to-back starts dating back to last June.

"That's what I want to be is a consistent guy that you know what you're getting every night out and lately I haven't been that guy," Gee said. "It really gets under my skin. That's what I want to pride myself on, going out there every five days and giving the guys a quality start and a chance to win every time out. Hopefully this is the beginning of that."

Gee started slow but improved as the game progressed. He benefited from a tremendous play from left fielder Mike Baxter in the first, as Baxter caught a ball at the wall that led to a double play to end the inning. A run scored, but Gee didn't yield another. He gave up four hits.

"For him to have a play like that and get me out of that inning is huge," Gee said. "It gives me confidence going the rest of the game."

Facing the weak-hitting Padres, Gee induced plenty of soft contact, and worked around jams.

In the fifth, he sandwiched a pair of strikeouts around a fielder's choice to work his way out of two men on and no outs. In the seventh, with two on and two outs, he fanned Chris Denorfia on a fastball that just nipped the corner of the plate to end the inning with the Mets up 6-1.

"Late in the game it's almost like his sinker's better, his two-seam fastball is getting better and he's starting to locate it better and he knows he can make pitches," manager Terry Collins said. "He relaxed and says 'look, I have to make pitches to get out of this instead of throwing too hard.' He just lets his stuff work."

Since tossing a gem against Atlanta on April 16, Gee had struggled to match that outing, getting rocked several times. Friday night, he finally looked the part of that pitcher down in Atlanta, keeping it simple and finding that consistency.

"He pitched very good tonight," Collins said.

The Mets salvaged the finale of their interleague series in Toronto, holding on for a 6-5 win when former Blue Jays closer Frank Francisco struck out three straight batters in the ninth after allowing a leadoff walk to Yunel Escobar, then single by Jose Bautista through the barren right side of the infield.

Monday's news reports:

• Miguel Batista landed on the DL on Sunday morning with a strained oblique or lower-back muscle. Jeremy Hefner is likely to start Thursday's game against the San Diego Padres at Citi Field in that rotation slot. Chris Schwinden was promoted for Sunday's game as a hedge against Dillon Gee having a short outing, but was not needed. The Mets plan to make another roster move before Monday's series opener in Pittsburgh to add a position player. Vinny Rottino -- who had a three-homer game for Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday -- would appear a logical choice to return to the major league roster. Schwinden is the easiest to return to Buffalo. Manny Acosta would be an alternative, but seemingly less likely choice to get dismissed to free the roster spot.

• Terry Collins for the first time Sunday morning allowed for the possibility of Ike Davis getting sent to the minors if his performance does not show improvement on this trip. Despite a seeming roster crunch looming with Ruben Tejada slated to begin rehab games as soon as today and Jason Bay due to take batting practice in Pittsburgh for the first time this afternoon, there are demotion candidates. Davis is one. And Kirk Nieuwenhuis' production considerably has slowed since the rookie's torrid start.

The added benefit of Nieuwenhuis returning to the minors is it could delay his free agency a year. If Nieuwenhuis were to stay at the major league level continuously, he would be eligible for free agency after his sixth season, during the 2017-18 offseason. If he logs a total of 20 days in the minors this year, he would not get credit for a full major league season in 2012 and would be delayed in free agency at least until the following winter -- 2018-19. Read more in the Daily News, Post and Newsday.

• Andy McCullough in the Star-Ledger writes about Davis' issues:

- He’s hitting too many grounders (50 percent of his balls in play before Sunday, according to FanGraphs.com). In the first inning, Davis hacked at a low, 91-mph sinker and tapped the ball back to Alvarez. With the bases loaded in the fifth, he rolled a fastball into what should have been a double play, except second baseman Kelly Johnson fumbled the exchange.

- His luck has been poor. In the fourth inning, Davis smashed a fastball toward the opposite field -- right into the glove of third baseman Yan Gomes. Entering Sunday's game, Davis was hitting line drives 17.4 percent of the time, or slightly better than 2011’s 17 percent mark. Except his batting average on balls in play was a miniscule .184, nearly 200 points below his career average. “He just needs those [line drives] to fall,” hitting coach Dave Hudgens said.

- He’s not drawing walks. Davis saw exactly three pitches in his first three at-bats Sunday.

• Regarding Nieuwenhuis, Barbara Barker writes in Newsday:

A week ago, he led all major-league rookies with a .302 batting average and was second with 35 hits. He went 1-for-3 with an RBI double and two walks in the Mets' 6-5 win Sunday and is now batting .277 with 38 hits, seven doubles, two home runs, 13 RBIs and 16 walks. "This kid doesn't deserve to go back to Triple-A with the way he's swung the bat so far," Buffalo manager Wally Backman said. "But he needs to play. I think for his development, he needs to play every day." Nieuwenhuis says he can't worry about what the future holds, other than to try to perform his best each day he plays. "It's been pretty cool playing up here with the guys," he said, "but whatever happens, happens. I don't make those decisions. I just have to take one day at a time and focus."

• David Wright returned from a day off Saturday and delivered a two-run double in the first inning as part of a 2-for-4 series finale that raised his average to .412. Wright, still sick, passed Jose Reyes for second on the franchise's all-time hit list with 1,302. He needs 116 more hits to match Mets record-holder Ed Kranepool.

• Mike Baxter had a career-high three hits Sunday while starting for the second straight game with the Mets using an extra position player in their lineup in the AL ballpark. Collins pledged to find Baxter playing time in Pittsburgh, although the manager said not at first base yet, and not on Monday against Pirates left-hander Erik Bedard. Read more in the Star-Ledger.

• Gee had a new look and better results. Read more in the Post.

• Read game recaps in the Record, Times, Daily News, Journal, Newsday and Post.

• Collins reiterated Jenrry Mejia is far more likely to help the Mets as a reliever at the major league level in 2012. Read more in Newsday.

• Tim Kurkjian catches up with hot-hitting ex-Met Carlos Beltran at ESPN.com. Kurkjian notes Beltran is two steals shy of 300 swipes and 300 homers in his career, a club that is currently limited to Barry Bonds, Willie Mays, Alex Rodriguez, Andre Dawson, Bobby Bonds, Reggie Sanders and Steve Finley. Writes Kurkjian:

If it weren't for Matt Kemp, Beltran, 35, would be the most valuable player in the National League six weeks into the season. If it weren't for the remarkable Josh Hamilton, May would have been all about Beltran. Not only has he replaced the 2011 production of Albert Pujols in the Cardinals' lineup, he has greatly exceeded it while helping take St. Louis to the front of the National League Central, all while dazzling his new teammates. "When I ran out on the field with him the first time in spring training,'' said Cardinals third baseman David Freese, "I knew he was the most complete player I'd ever played with.''

Lance Berkman, who also was Beltran's teammate during that prolific 2004 postseason with Houston that set up Beltran's seven-year, $119 million contract with the Mets told Kurkjian: "It's funny. An elite player has some things happen to him for three or four years, like injuries, then he becomes an elite player again, and people ask, 'What's going on here?' Just look at the back of his baseball card. He is as complete a player as I've ever played with. He does everything well, and he looks good doing it. When you look at what a player is supposed to do, he's about as good as it gets.''

• Corey Wimberly stole home for Buffalo's lone run in a 4-1 loss to Indianapolis on Sunday. It was the second time a Mets farmhand has swiped home this season. Wimberly had a pure steal of the plate, while Binghamton's Josh Rodriguez stole home on April 21 as part of a double-steal. Read Sunday's full minor league recap here.

• Forty-thousand Orthodox Jews packed Citi Field on Sunday to decry the internet. Read more in the Daily News.

• Michael Howard Saul in the Journal revealed that Citi Field, now in its fourth season, still does not have all its full permits from the city in order. Mayor Michael Bloomberg at last week's All-Star Game press conference dismissed the issue as procedural and insignificant and insisted the stadium was safe. Wrote Saul, alluding to the City Hall announcement about next season's Mid-Summer Classic:

Unmentioned was the embarrassing fact that the three-year-old stadium in Queens still hasn’t received a certificate of occupancy from the city. The stadium has a temporary certificate, which means it is “safe and legal to occupy,” said Tony Sclafani, a spokesman for the Department of Buildings, in an email.

TRIVIA: For which former Pirate Pirate is the yellow bridge spanning the Allegheny River adjacent to PNC Park named?

Sunday's answer: Jason Bay was the last Pirate to have a multi-homer game against the Mets. At Shea Stadium on July 24, 2007, Bay went deep off John Maine and Guillermo Mota.

TORONTO -- Clean-shaven Dillon Gee, who dumped the pronounced goatee he had sported since the offseason after his last start, did not minimize the need for him to produce a performance like Sunday's outing.

Recognizing the bullpen was overtaxed, and recognizing he needed to kick things into gear after allowing seven runs last week against Milwaukee, Gee turned in a credible effort against the Toronto Blue Jays. He was charged with three runs in 6 2/3 innings to even his record at 3-3 and lower his ERA to 5.44.

“I think it was a really big start for Dillon. I really do,” Terry Collins said. “He needed to get back on track, obviously. He’s shaved. He’s done all the things that guys do when they think they’re in a slump. He’s changed socks. New shoes. All the things a player does to beat the jinx. Then he went out and pitched a great ballgame.”

Said David Wright: “Dillon did a fantastic job today. He didn’t look like he had his best stuff and struggled with command, but somehow got through 6 2/3, and that’s impressive.”

As Wright suggested, Gee said it's curious that he would have better results this time than last time, when he felt like he had better stuff.

Gee was having so much difficulty throwing a strike during the second inning on Sunday, pitching coach Dan Warthen recommended he throw entirely from the stretch. Gee eventually righted himself and cruised through the middle innings.

He wanted to get through seven innings, but was pulled after Jose Bautista touched him for a two-out RBI single that pulled Toronto within 6-3. Gee lamented that 0-2 pitch getting too much of the plate.

"Oh well," he concluded. "We won."

WHAT IT MEANS: The weekend wasn’t a total loss, at least. In their first visit to Toronto in six years, the Mets salvaged the series finale, beating the Blue Jays, 6-5, Sunday afternoon at Rogers Centre.

Barely.

Bobby Parnell surrendered a pair of eighth-inning runs, including an RBI single to Colby Rasmus that snapped the ex-Cardinal’s 0-for-20 skid, as Toronto rallied to within a run. But Tim Byrdak made his 24^th appearance in 41 games to retire lefty-hitting Kelly Johnson on a flyout to right field and end that frame.

In the ninth, ex-Blue Jays closer Frank Francisco, who was loudly jeered upon entering, closed things out despite a leadoff walk to Yunel Escobar and ensuing single by Jose Bautista that placed the winning run on base with none out. Francisco struck out the next three batters.

WELCOME BACK: After scheduled day off, and with his illness having somewhat improved, David Wright delivered a two-run double in the first inning against Jays right-hander Henderson Alvarez. It was hit No. 1,301 of Wright’s career, which passed ex-teammate Jose Reyes for sole possession of second on franchise’s all-time list. Ed Kranepool has the highest hit total as a Met for now: 1,418. Wright now stands at 1,302. He finished Sunday’s game 2-for-4 with a walk, albeit with an eighth-inning strikeout that stranded the bases loaded and kept the score 6-3. His average now stands at .412.

(Wright wasn’t solely at fault for a scoreless eighth. Ike Davis doubled and advanced to third on a passed ball, but was thrown out at the plate on a pitch that similarly eluded catcher J.P. Arencibia.)

BAXTER BURNING: Mike Baxter, starting for a second straight game with the pitcher not batting in the American League ballpark, went 3-for-4 with a walk. He fell a homer shy of producing the second cycle by a Met this season (Scott Hairston at Colorado on April 27, in an 18-9 loss). Baxter’s hit total achieved a career high, and lifted his average to .390, in 41 at-bats. Baxter even was the subject of taunts from fans in the left-field stands.

After being deprived of a would-be ninth-inning double Saturday with an incorrect out call at second base, Baxter doubled and tripled in the first two inings Sunday while starting in left field. The latter extra-base hit scored Ronny Cedeno and staked the Mets to a 4-0 lead.

GEE MINOR: Clean-shaven Dillon Gee completed 6 2/3 innings and notched his first win since April 28 at Colorado. He departed after an RBI single by Jose Bautista pulled the Jays within 6-3. Parnell entered and stranded Bautista by coaxing a fielder’s choice groundout by Edwin Encarnacion.

Gee’s final line: 6.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 6 K, 1 HBP. He threw 113 pitches (67 strikes). He surrendered a third-inning solo homer to Bautista that pulled the Jays within 4-2 at the time.

WHAT’S NEXT: The Mets, in businesslike attire, head through customs and travel to Pittsburgh. Johan Santana (1-2, 2.89 ERA) opposes left-hander Erik Bedard (2-5, 3.07) in Monday’s 7:05 p.m. opener.

Brandon Morrow tossed a three-hit shutout and the Mets lost to the Toronto Blue Jays, 2-0, Saturday at Rogers Centre. Dillon Gee starts Sunday's 1:07 p.m. game, trying to prevent the Amazin's from getting swept north of the border.

Regarding the Mets' offense, Terry Collins said, the Mets can't be patient to a fault in driving up pitch counts.

"We’ve got to start grinding out some at-bats," Collins said. "It goes back to exactly what we talked about a couple of weeks ago, and that's: It’s not about taking pitches. It’s about being patient, and when you get the pitch you want, hit it. Brandon was in the strike zone today. He was making good pitches early in the count. And we're down early, 0-1, 0-2. I don’t want these guys to think they've got to go up there and just take the good pitches they can hit."

Sunday's news reports:

• Miguel Batista was forced to leave Saturday's game after tossing two scoreless innings because of a pulled muscle in his lower back. Jeremy Hefner, promoted from Triple-A Buffalo, entered in relief and limited the Jays to two runs in five innings but was charged with the loss. Chris Schwinden will arrive Sunday in Toronto as a taxi-squad member, and presumably has a good chance of being activated as a hedge against Gee having a short outing, with Batista landing on the DL.

Jordany Valdespin had been demoted before Saturday's game to make room for Hefner. Valdespin will play second base with the Bisons. The Mets will promote a position player before Monday's game in Pittsburgh, Collins indicated. Collins said Hefner would start in Batista's place Thursday at Citi Field if the 41-year-old right-hander lands on the DL. Read more in Newsday, the Record, Star-Ledger and Post.

• Mike Baxter was ruled out at second base in the ninth inning on an apparent blown call. Had Baxter been credited with a double, the Mets would have had two runners in scoring position with one out in the ninth, trailing by two runs. Read more in the Post.

• Read game recaps in the Post, Times, Star-Ledger, Newsday, Record and Daily News.

• There's no indication Ike Davis is in imminent danger of a demotion. But the number of notable names getting demoted is, well, notable. First, the Braves sent Jair Jurrjens to Triple-A Gwinnett. First baseman Adam Lind is reportedly on waivers for the purpose of being removed from the 40-man roster and demoted by the Blue Jays. And, now, first baseman Gaby Sanchez, who was hitting .197 with one homer with Miami, has been demoted too. “We don’t think he’s a .190 hitter,” Marlins GM Michael Hill told the Miami Herald about Sanchez, an All-Star last season. “We think he’s better than he’s showing here. We think he’s pressing. We want to take some of the pressure off him, get him down to Triple-A, and get him right.” Davis is hitting .160 after going 0-for-3 Saturday in Toronto.

• Pedro Beato began an official rehab assignment Saturday night with Class A St. Lucie, tossing two scoreless innings. He is on the 60-day DL because of a shoulder issue that arose during spring training. Jenrry Mejia, meanwhile, allowed one run on six hits while striking out three and walking none in three innings for Double-A Binghamton. He threw only 48 pitches in his first Double-A start since Tommy John surgery, but Sandy Alderson said that roughly was the prescribed length. Mejia had higher pitch counts in two previous starts for St. Lucie. Also Saturday, Vinny Rottino had three homers for Triple-A Buffalo. Read the Saturday's full minor league recap here.

• David Wright was sicker Saturday than the previous day and was unavailable. Still, he already has informed Collins he wants to play Sunday. Read more in the Daily News.

• Anthony McCarron pens a feature in the Daily News celebrating Wright's leadership by example. Regarding Wright bickering with Collins in the dugout because he wanted to remain in Tuesday's game against Milwaukee to get drilled as payback for D.J. Carrasco hitting Ryan Braun, Ron Darling said: “I think there were probably people on the bench who didn’t understand what the hullabaloo was about at all and were taught a valuable lesson. 'What? Get hit? Who wants to get hit?’ He basically said, 'I know how the game is played and I know what we have to do in certain situations and I’m willing to do that.' David is one of those rare current players who could’ve played in any generation. There is a real courage in the way he plays the game. Guy played three weeks with a back that was broken last year, hits a homer with a broken finger because he knows his team needs him. I watch him play, and it makes me proud that I was part of the fraternity.”

• Collins believes Ruben Tejada (quadriceps) could be in a minor league rehab game as soon as Monday. Jason Bay (fractured rib) may take batting practice that day in Pittsburgh. Chris Young, who took a brief break with his wife due to give birth, is expected to resume his comeback with Class A St. Lucie on Friday. It will be Young's third minor league start with the Florida State League club since May 16, 2011 surgery to repair a torn anterior capsule in his right shoulder.

• David Lennon in Newsday reviews the early impact of the wall changes at Citi Field. He notes Gee's amusement at hearing during the trip to Miami's new ballpark about Marlins players already expressing discontent with the cavernous dimensions. As a result of the Citi Field changes, there have been 10 additional homers this season that would have remained in play under the old configuration -- six by opponents, four by the Mets (Kirk Nieuwenhuis 2, Lucas Duda, Wright). "I enjoy it," Wright told Lennon. "Obviously, it's smaller, so I enjoy that. But it's tough, I guess, to describe the effect that it has because it's still relatively early. A lot of how the ball carries has to do with the weather, and the weather has been chilly, rainy and windy."

Still, Citi Field has not become a homer haven. Writes Lennon:

Through the first 20 home games, there have been 26 home runs hit at Citi Field, and that frequency of 1.3 per game is tied (with Wrigley Field) for 13th-best in the National League . Only AT&T Park (0.84), PETCO Park (0.96) and Marlins Park (1.24) had produced fewer. Before Citi's changes are deemed inconsequential, however, consider this: According to ESPN Home Run Tracker, 10 home runs needed the new dimensions to clear the walls, and if there were only 16 home runs to this point, that drops the average rate to a minuscule 0.80 -- the lowest in either league. "It's only a small sample size," Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said. "But at the same time, that's still a dramatic impact."

Jeff Wilpon told Lennon: "It doesn't look like a sore thumb sticking out, in the terms of the changes that we made. I think it's been very successful in that sense. We knew it wouldn't make a huge difference -- we wanted it to be a moderate difference. ... I wish we were hitting more home runs, either with the benefit of the changes or without the benefits."

• Tyler Kepner in the Times pays homage to Chipper Jones, who is due to retire at season's end. Writes Kepner:

In Chicago, the Cubs gave him a Braves flag that flew above the scoreboard at Wrigley Field. In Denver, the Rockies gave him a camera to mount on his hunting bow. The Houston Astros gave him a cowboy hat, and the St. Louis Cardinals presented a jersey signed by Stan Musial. “It was really cool in St. Louis when he came up to bat,” Braves reliever Craig Kimbrel said. “They kind of stopped the game. They were already losing in the first inning, but he came up to bat and got a standing ovation.”

Jones told Kepner about last year's Braves historic collapse relative to the team's current success (25-16, first place): "It’s really gratifying because the guys went home in the offseason and used what happened in September as a motivational tool. I’ve said this all along: If we end up winning an Eastern Division championship or a National League championship or a World Series in the next couple of years, I guarantee you all these players will look back at September and say we learned a lot.”

• Critic Bob Raissman in the Daily News praises Collins as a straight shooter. Writes Raissman:

While The Prince of Darkness, John Tortorella, continues perfecting his mummified style, Terry Collins is out in Queens shedding light. The Mets manager will never be cast as Mr. Sunshine. He illuminates by speaking the truth. That’s why the media rarely has a discouraging word about him. Of all the head mouths in town, Collins is the straightest shooter.

• Columnist Jeff Bradley in the Star-Ledger compares the 1993 Yankees to the 2012 Mets in terms of success despite low expectations. Warning: extensive Paul O'Neill quoting.

TRIVIA: Who was the last Pittsburgh Pirate to have a multi-homer game against the Mets?

Saturday's answer: Mike Jacobs was traded to Toronto for a player to be named or cash in the last swap between the Mets and Jays, on July 30, 2010.

David Wright is scheduled to sit Saturday, with Justin Turner starting at third base, despite Wright owning a .411 average entering the series.

Wright sitting in Toronto, at roughly the midpoint of a 20-games-in-20-days stretch, was decided by Terry Collins and Wright a week ago in Miami. Wright now can use the day off even more so. He's battling a head cold and sounds terrible, so much so that Collins would have given Wright off Friday had the Mets not been facing a left-hander, Ricky Romero.

Wright is not a fan of DHing, so do not look for that this weekend. "I like playing the field," he said.

Incidentally, Wright slid headfirst Thursday. He said he could not recall if that's the first time he did so since suffering a fractured right pinkie, but he continues to intend to slide feet first unless instincts take over.

• Scott Hairston is the extra bat in the lineup Friday, although he's playing left field and Lucas Duda is getting the break as the DH. Collins said Mike Baxter will be the extra addition to the lineup Saturday and Sunday.

• Ike Davis is off Friday, but Collins said he is not in a platoon and will start Monday against left-hander Erik Bedard in Pittsburgh. Daniel Murphy should get Monday day.

• Jason Bay, who ran and played catch Friday afternoon, has only swung a bat lightly while hitting off a tee so far as he works back from a fractured rib. Bay should begin swinging more forcefully when the Mets' trip continues in Pittsburgh after the weekend.

• Ruben Tejada, out with a right quadriceps strain, has taken grounders but is not yet baserunning.

• Josh Thole, cleared to resume activity after suffering a concussion, is doing cardiovascular work this weekend and may travel to Port St. Lucie on Monday.

• Chris Young, who has made two minor league starts with Class A St. Lucie, will not pitch on his regular turn Sunday. Pitching coach Dan Warthen said Young is with his wife, who is having a baby, and that the delay is not a complication from May 16, 2011 shoulder surgery. Warthen was unsure if Young's next -- and now delayed -- start will be with St. Lucie or Triple-A Buffalo.

• Collins bought 30 NHL jerseys and supplied them to many of the players, including Andres Torres, for the trip to Toronto. Because Torres was born in New Jersey, he was assigned a Devils jersey.

The center fielder did not understand why he was getting taunted by so many people while out in public -- presumably Rangers fans. Collins said "traitor" chants were directed at Torres. "He didn't know anything about it," Collins said. "People are screaming at him."

Johan Santana joked he ordered a Venezuelan national hockey team jersey but it never arrived. He represented the Minnesota Wild instead.

(Read full post)

David Wright heard "MVP" chants after delivering a tiebreaking double in what became a five-run eighth and the Mets completed an abbreviated homestand with a 9-4 win against the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday. Wright went 2-for-2 with three walks and three runs scored, upping his average to .411.

After going 2-2 against the NL Central this week at home, the Mets donned hockey jerseys -- including Johan Santana in a Minnesota Wild jersey here -- and proceeded to Canada late Thursday afternoon. This weekend marks the Mets' first trip to Toronto since 2006. Scott Hairston likely is to DH in the opener with left-hander Ricky Romero, Justin Turner's former roommate at Cal State Fullerton, due to start for the Blue Jays tonight.

Friday's news reports:

• Wright's six game-winning RBIs are tied for the major league lead. His .411 average is the highest on or after May 17 in the majors since Chipper Jones in 2008 was hitting .414 after a June 12 game (min. 3.1 PA/team game), according to STATS LLC. Terry Collins compared Wright's early season performance to when Barry Bonds was dominating early in his career for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Collins was on Jim Leyland's staff there. Wright's performance Thursday came while trying to stave off the flu. His game-deciding RBI scored Rob Johnson, who -- in his first game back from a thumb issue -- entered late in place of Mike Nickeas and bunted to get on board. Read game recaps centering on Wright's latest exploits in Newsday, the Times, Star-Ledger, Record, Daily News and Post.

Despite lacking credible threats behind him, Wright is not chasing balls out of the strike zone. Instead, he is taking walks that have bulked up his on-base percentage to a whopping .513. Writes Brian Costa in the Journal:

The frequency with which Wright has gotten on base has at least something to do with the lack of a comparable threat behind him in the Mets' lineup. Slumping first baseman Ike Davis, who had been penciled in as the Mets' cleanup hitter, has been dropped in the order. And pitchers sometimes seem content to take their chances with the likes of Lucas Duda and Daniel Murphy. Wright ranks third in the National League with 24 walks. But Wright has also shown exceptional discipline, swinging at less than 19 percent of pitches outside the strike zone, more than a 6 percent drop from 2011. And he is punishing pitchers' mistakes, hitting more than 29 percent of his batted balls for line drives, an 11 percent increase from a year ago.

Writes columnist George Willis in the Post:

David Wright pulled a Michael Jordan yesterday at Citi Field. Riddled with flu-like symptoms, he riddled the Reds yesterday, continuing a torrid season that is forcing the Mets’ hand to sign him to a contract extension before it costs them a small fortune.

Writes columnist Jeff Bradley in the Star-Ledger:

Would it be cynical now to go back a year, and dredge up the things Fred Wilpon said about David Wright in that infamous New Yorker piece? Remember? “A really good kid,” the Mets owner said of Wright. “A very good player. Not a superstar.” Would it be cynical? Of course. Perhaps even a little bit mean-spirited. But how can you not replay that tape, with the way things are playing out so far for Wright in 2012?

• The Mets began soliciting money in order to secure All-Star tickets for the July 16, 2013 game slated for Citi Field. Season-ticket holders received an email from the club Thursday that read:

As a 2012 Mets Full Season Ticket Holder, you have the exclusive opportunity to purchase three times the number of tickets in your 2013 season ticket account for all 2013 MLB All-Star events. To qualify for this offer, simply place a $250 non-refundable per seat deposit for your 2013 Full Season account renewal by July 10, 2012 by clicking on the link below. This non-refundable per seat deposit will be applied towards your 2013 regular season invoice. 2012 Mets Full Season Ticket Holders who commit to 2013 Full Season Tickets by taking advantage of this offer by July 10, 2012 will lock in 2012 season ticket pricing for the 2013 season.

The Mets also are trying to recruit new ticket buyers with the All-Star festivities as an enticement. The club is offering the right to buy tickets to the All-Star events if you buy a 15-game plan for this season, and give a $250 deposit toward a 15-game plan for next season as well. Read those details on the team's web site here.

• Sandy Alderson, who concentrated his limited available dollars on retooling the bullpen during the offseason, described the relief corps' performance as a "frustration" pregame Thursday. His comments came the morning after the Mets dumped D.J. Carrasco and promoted left-hander Robert Carson from Double-A Binghamton. Alderson added that Jenrry Mejia likely will make two starts for Double-A Binghamton (beginning Saturday) and then two more for Triple-A Buffalo in what is considered an unofficial rehab phase in his return from Tommy John surgery on May 16, 2011. Collins confirmed this week that Mejia eventually should be dabbling in relief work, where he is most likely to contribute at the major league level this season. Meanwhile, Jon Rauch, Bobby Parnell and Frank Francisco actually combined to toss three scoreless innings Thursday. Read more in the Star-Ledger, Newsday and the Daily News.

• Zack Wheeler allowed a two-run homer in the first inning but only one other hit while tossing a season-high seven innings and winning his third straight as Binghamton routed Trenton, 12-3, Thursday. At Triple-A, Vinny Rottino had a game-deciding two-run single that extended his International League hitting streak to 20 games. Rottino owns the second-longest active streak in minor league baseball, trailing only Jurickson Profar's 27-game streak with Double-A Frisco City. Read the full minor league recap here.

• Dillon Gee has shed the pronounced goatee he had sported since spring training. It apparently was time to change his fortunes after allowing 11 runs in 11 innings over his past two starts. Gee, who is winless in three starts since an April 28 victory at Colorado, next pitches Sunday at Toronto opposite right-hander Henderson Alvarez.

TRIVIA: Who managed the Toronto Blue Jays in 2006, the last time they faced the Mets?

Thursday's answer: R.A. Dickey was the first-round pick of the Texas Rangers (18th overall) in the 1996 draft.

David Wright jawed with his manager, Terry Collins, in the dugout, but insisted afterward he was upset in the heat of the moment with the situation, not at his manager. The Mets ultimately lost to the Milwaukee Brewers, 8-0, Tuesday at soggy Citi Field. Collins pulled Wright in the bottom of the seventh along with Daniel Murphy, trying to protect the third baseman from getting drilled a half-inning after D.J. Carrasco served up a homer to Rickie Weeks, then plunked Ryan Braun with the next pitch. Wright wanted to stand in the batter's box to take the expected retaliatory blow and end the drama.

"At this level, somebody is going to get hit," Collins said about retaliation, to which the Mets skipper felt the Brewers were entitled. "And it wasn't going to be David Wright tonight. I can't control what's going to happen down the road. He's not going to get hurt in this game, in this situation, tonight."

Please join me for a Mets chat at 1 p.m. ET Wednesday here.

Wednesday's news reports:

• Before the T.C.-Wright dugout spectacle, Dillon Gee had let down the Mets. Gee served up a pair of homers to Travis Ishikawa and was charged with seven runs in 5 1/3 innings. "Mistakes that he makes are in the middle of the plate," Collins said. "I mean, when I took him out of the game, Nicky [catcher Mike Nickeas] said every mistake he made tonight they drilled."

Said Gee: "I don't know. I'm at a loss for words today. I felt good out there. I felt like I made a lot of good pitches. In my mind, I only made a couple of mistakes."

Meanwhile, Murphy extended his hitting streak to a career-high 11 games before departing the game.

Read game recaps in the Record, Times, Post, Newsday, Star-Ledger, Daily News and Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

• Columnist Mike Vaccaro in the Post summarizes the Wright-Collins argument this way:

Whether [the hit by pitch] was intentional or not isn’t important. Neither is the transaction of removing Wright from the game. This was: Both Collins and Wright care enough about this team and this season as it approaches the quarter pole that they were willing to fill the dugout with noise and rancor, even for a lost cause. They are a fine match, a manager who cares and a player who cares even more.

Read my take here. Columnist Tim Smith in the Daily News also opines on the topic.

• Mayor Michael Bloomberg, MLB commissioner Bud Selig and Mets principal owner Fred Wilpon will participate in a ceremony at City Hall during which the 2013 All-Star Game officially will be awarded to Citi Field. The long-planned event was delayed in being announced for months as MLB worked out contracts with the Javits Convention Center for a fan fest as well as logistics such as NYPD staffing costs for a midtown parade of All-Stars and Central Park concert. You can watch the official announcement live at 11:30 a.m. on the city's web site here. Read more in Newsday, the Times, Post, Daily News and Star-Ledger.

• Collins told Anthony McCarron in the Daily News that Jason Bay "absolutely" will get his left-field job back when he returns from the DL after dealing with a fractured rib. Collins acknowledged the challenge will be finding playing time for Kirk Nieuwenhuis as well, but the manager will make it work. “He didn’t come here to be an extra player," Collins told McCarron about Bay. Nieuwenhuis went 0-for-3 Tuesday. He is hitting .294 with two homers, 12 RBIs, 14 walks and 39 strikeouts in 119 at-bats.

• Josh Thole was examined Tuesday at Citi Field and expected to imminently gain clearance to begin athletic activities. The catcher said he should learn the results of a concussion test Wednesday. Thole, who suffered what may be the fourth concussion of his professional career nine days ago in a plate collision with Ty Wigginton, said his headaches ended Friday. Read more in the Star-Ledger, Record, Daily News and Newsday.

• Jenrry Mejia and Chris Young are slated to move to Triple-A Buffalo to continue their returns from surgeries that both were performed on May 16, 2011. Mejia soon should be exposed to relief work to gauge his ability to contribute at the major league level in that capacity, an organization source told ESPNNewYork.com. Young was due to pitch for Class A St. Lucie on Tuesday night, but the game was rained out. He presumably will pitch Wednesday morning for the Florida State League club before moving to Triple-A.

• A special screening of the Andres Torres-centered documentary "Gigante," about the center fielder's battle with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, will be held at NYU School of Medicine (550 First Ave.) on May 31 at 7 p.m. The free event is open to the public, but preregistration is mandatory at yungogigante.eventbrite.com.

• Wright was noncommittal on his receptiveness to discussing a contract in-season if the Mets approached his representatives.

• Brian Costa in the Journal profiles sudden pinch-hitter-extraordinaire/local product Mike Baxter. Baxter is hitting .471 (8-for-17) with five RBIs as a pinch hitter this season, including a sixth-inning double Tuesday. The contribution also includes a go-ahead two-run double in the ninth inning Friday at Marlins Park.

Plenty of players have found success in pinch-hit roles, but they tend to be veterans who were starters at one point. Baxter, 27, entered Tuesday with just 58 games of major-league experience and just 10 career starts. "Mike is becoming really good at it in a short window," said Mets third-base coach Tim Teufel, who had 192 pinch-hit appearances during his 11-year major-league career. "Usually for a young player, it takes time. He's taken to the role. He's found a way." The Mets' depth was a perceived weakness going into the season. But despite several injuries, they entered Tuesday with a 20-15 record, thanks in part to some unexpected contributions from players at the fringes of the roster. Players like Baxter.

• Michael Salfino in the Journal looks at the Mets' patience at the plate under hitting coach Dave Hudgens. Among the relevant stats: Through Monday, the Mets had seen the most pitches per plate appearance in MLB (3.98), according to Stats LLC, better than runner-up Oakland (3.97) and No. 3 Arizona (3.94). Writes Salfino:

The epitome of the Mets desire to work counts as much as possible, though, is their place as the only team in baseball yet to swing at a 3-0 pitch (70 opportunities). That's widely regarded as the optimal hitter's count. But the Mets clearly don't want to help pitchers work their way out of trouble. New York's patient approach seems to be organization-wide. A spate of injuries have seen four opening day starters head to the disabled list, but replacements Justin Turner (4.22 pitches per plate appearance), Mike Baxter (4.23) and Kirk Nieuwenhuis (4.22) have actually improved the Mets average.

• Baseball America projects the Mets taking Louisiana high school shortstop Gavin Cecchini with the 12th overall pick in the draft next month. The magazine also says the Mets have been "strongly linked" to Texas high school outfielder Courtney Hawkins and Texas A&M right-hander Michael Wacha.

• Brandon Brown had three RBIs and Dustin Lawley homered as Savannah held on for a 4-3 win at Charleston. Read Tuesday's full minor league recap here.

• Collins is not a fan of prescribed roles in the bullpen, but the manager said pregame Tuesday that he needs to accept it as part of the evolution of the game. “Guys are here to do certain jobs,” Collins said. “That’s what they’re paid for. That’s what they prepare for. I mean, you have pitchers in the game today who don’t even go to the bullpen until the sixth inning. They’re not even out there. They’re doing stuff in the clubhouse. They’re stretching. They’re getting rubdowns. That’s the way it is and you have to adjust. I don’t have to like it, but I have to accept it.” Writes columnist Mark Bradley in the Star-Ledger:

No one could have blamed Collins if he took a match and some gasoline to his bullpen roles after Francisco blew the lead twice last weekend in Miami, which was potentially damaging to the psyche of his entire team. And when Francisco got into trouble in the ninth inning on Monday, and the fans were letting him hear it, you wondered, was Collins willing to let another one get away? “The one thing I don’t want to do is turn our bullpen inside out because we have a couple of blown saves,” Collins said. “Everybody has blown saves. But if you start changing everybody’s roles, then all of the sudden it’s very uncomfortable for some guys.” And then Collins repeated, “That’s something I’ve come to accept.”

• Johan Santana and Chris Capuano appear on columnist Bob Klapisch's list of 10 early season MLB surprises in the Record. Writes Klapisch on Santana:

You don’t dominate hitters with an 88-mph fastball without brains and guts, both of which are still Santana’s most precious currencies. His arm has been rebuilt by surgeons, who couldn’t restore the left-hander’s 94-mph heater of his prime. Still, Santana is so good, he’s averaging more than a strikeout an inning. It’s hard to believe Santana was on the DL for the entire 2011 season. Put it this way: The 2.92 ERA isn’t just surprising, it’s magic.

• SNY will televise its "Yearbook" show for the 1962 season for the first time on Thursday at 8 p.m., Ken Belson writes in the Times. Writes Belson:

To sports fans, the show, which is called “1962 Yearbook,” is a wonderful example of how sports was covered a half-century ago, complete with fawning announcers, eager players and a lack of whiz-bang technology that predominates on sports networks these days. “They were trying to generate interest and enthusiasm among the fans,” said Gary Morgenstern, senior vice president for programming at SNY, said of the show and others that would follow. “They weren’t terribly successful, so it was about getting people to fall in love with the team.” The tapes were discovered in 2008, when the Mets were cleaning out Shea Stadium and moving to Citi Field. The video was not meant to be shown on television. Rather, it was to be used by the team’s sales staff to drum up ticket sales in the off-season.

• Miguel Batista remains on target for his next start, despite dealing with a groin issue while tossing seven scoreless innings Monday. He is due to pitch at Toronto on Saturday.

• Mets players already were wearing hockey jerseys in the clubhouse Tuesday, in preparation for a dress-up en route to Toronto after Thursday's homestand finale. Mike Kerwick in the Record spotted R.A. Dickey in a Predators jersey (he lives in Nashville), the Whitestone native Baxter wearing a Rangers jersey, and Nieuwenhuis -- a Denver-area product -- wearing an Avalanche jersey.

TRIVIA: Who hit the homers off Braden Looper to spoil Pedro Martinez's Mets debut in Cincinnati on Opening Day in 2005?

Monday's answer: Gee attended the University of Texas-Arlington.

WHAT IT MEANS: Dillon Gee allowed seven runs for the second time this season. And the Mets’ attempt to climb six games over .500 came up short for the third time in a week. The Mets lost to the Milwaukee Brewers, 8-0, on a wet Tuesday night at Citi Field as David Wright stewed about being pulled from the game.

Gee was chased with one out in the sixth and the Mets trailing 7-0 after serving up a three-run homer to Travis Ishikawa -- the ex-Giant’s second long ball in two innings and his third, fourth and career-high fifth RBIs of the game.

Gee’s ERA swelled to 5.65.

Gee (2-3) also allowed seven runs against the San Francisco Giants on April 23. His career high for runs allowed was eight against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 10-0 loss on Aug. 22, 2011.

Zack Greinke tossed seven scoreless innings for Milwaukee.

D.J. FIASCO: Tasked with logging innings with a lopsided deficit to protect the rest of the bullpen, D.J. Carrasco lasted all of three batters. Rickie Weeks launched a one-out homer to left field off Carrasco in the seventh to snap an 0-for-21 rut. Carrasco then plunked Ryan Braun on the arm with the next pitch -- either (1) unintentionally, (2) because of the homer, or (3) because of Braun beating a drug suspension. Carrasco was ejected by plate umpire Gary Darling. Braun has been hit by an NL-high five pitches this season, matching last year's total. Two of the plunkings came in Milwaukee's previous series, against the rival Chicago Cubs.

Ramon Ramirez logged the final 2-2/3 innings.

SIT AND STEW: Terry Collins pulled Wright for pinch hitter Jordany Valdespin the half-inning after Carrasco’s ejection, and Wright was shown on TV expressing displeasure with his manager for the decision to remove him.

It was not immediately clear whether Collins was motivated by fearing retribution for the Braun plunking since the two-game series was ending, or simply wanted to get Wright out of the game with an 8-0 deficit and wet weather. Collins recently said Wright would need a break during a 20-games-in-20-days stretch.

Wright went 2-for-2 to lift his average to .408 before departing.

NEW CITI JACKS: Ishikawa’s second homer would not have been a long ball under the old Citi Field dimensions. Opponents now lead 5-4 in homers that benefited from the revised dimensions.

WHAT’S NEXT: The Cincinnati Reds visit Citi Field for a two-game series. Johan Santana (1-2, 2.92 ERA) opposes right-hander Mike Leake (0-5, 7.11) in Wednesday’s 7:10 p.m. opener.

The Mets produced their MLB-leading 11th comeback win, rallying for a 10-6 victory Wednesday night, to sweep a three-game series in Philly for the first time since June 2006. They moved five games over .500 for the first time since July 19, 2010.

"We came in and got them at the right time and took advantage of playing hard," Terry Collins said. "If something happened, there was a mistake, we capitalized on it. It was a great trip for us. We'll enjoy it for a while and get ready for this weekend."

Thursday's news reports:

• An excerpt from my column on the sweep:

Inside a jubilant visitors’ clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park, third baseman David Wright struggled to recall the New York Mets’ last three-game sweep in Philly. And if he could not come up with the date, surely none of his teammates could, either. After all, Wright is the only active player to have been a Met the last time it happened. “I was trying to remember that. In 2006, maybe?” Wright asked after the Mets posted their third straight come-from-behind victory to sweep the Phillies with a 10-6 victory Wednesday night. Yes, June 15, 2006 -- before Adam Wainwright's curveball, and “Team to Beat,” and the collapse, and the second collapse, and three losing seasons, and Bernard Madoff and, well, you get the point. (You would think Wright would have had a fighting chance at recalling it, too, since he homered in each game of that series.) Wednesday’s victory moved the Mets five games over .500 for the first time since July 19, 2010.

Read the full analysis here.

• The win came despite Dillon Gee being charged with four runs on 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings. “I was not good -- probably, by far, the worst I’ve felt all year,” Gee said. “I just had zero command. I was behind to everyone and I had no command of the curveball. It’s tough to pitch like that.” Read game recaps in the Times, Record, Star-Ledger, Newsday, Daily News and Post.

• Phillies manager Charlie Manuel called a team meeting after getting swept by the Mets. Writes Matt Gelb in the Philadelphia Inquirer:

The room was quiet now because Charlie Manuel had already delivered a loud message to his beaten team. Many of the Phillies had dressed, left their clubhouse and ventured into the wet darkness. Still in his full uniform, Cliff Lee sat with Roy Halladay and Chad Qualls. Joe Savery packed his bags for Allentown. Jimmy Rollins hopped onto a table and broke the silence. "You don't have to whisper," he said. "It's not the end of the world." Fates are not decided after 32 baseball games, but Manuel decided an intervention was required. All he had to do was watch Wednesday's 10-6 defeat to New York - 2 hours, 56 minutes of baseball that made him seethe. "And usually," Manuel said, "I stay pretty cool."

• Columnist Ken Davidoff in the Post notes the Mets' success had a lot to do with what the Phillies did not do. Writes Davidoff:

The Phillies of 2007-11 strolled the ballpark with an arrogance, an expectation that they would win each night. The current Phillies are exemplifying that such arrogance comes from talent, rather than the talent resulting from attitude of any kind. Because these five-time defending National League East champions, playing without their injured stars Ryan Howard and Chase Utley, simply aren’t very good.

• Jenrry Mejia allowed two runs in five innings for Class A St. Lucie at Brevard County on Wednesday morning in his first official minor league game since undergoing Tommy John surgery on May 16, 2011. Pitching coach Dan Warthen told Andy McCullough in the Star-Ledger the intention is to get Mejia three more minor league starts. After that, team brass will decide whether to use Mejia as a reliever or a starter the remainder of the season. Warthen has been on the record saying he believes Mejia's future is as a reliever because a violent delivery could leave him susceptible to injury. Sandy Alderson indicated what the Mets' needs are will play a role in how to use Mejia. “We’re just trying to get him back to a competitive level, at a representative number of pitches, and commanding all of his assortment of pitches,” Alderson told McCullough. “Once we get to that point, assuming he’s pitching five or six innings a game in a starting role, he can perform either role for us.”

Paul DePodesta told ESPNNewYork.com during spring training to look at how the Texas Rangers have developed pitchers in explaining Mejia's future role. That seemed to suggest even back in March that Mejia could contribute at the major league level this season in the bullpen, then revert to a starting role next year if the organization wants to switch him back.

Chris Young follows Mejia in St. Lucie's starting rotation Thursday. Young, who also underwent surgery last May 16, to repair a torn anterior capsule in his right shoulder, will be starting in a minor league game for the first time since that procedure. He is scheduled to throw roughly 75 pitches.

• Brian Costa in the Journal takes a look at the newly created "taxi squad" for 2012. Under old MLB guidelines, a player potentially replacing an injured major league player could not be in the clubhouse actively participating with teammates until a formal DL move was made. So players were quietly flown in and stayed at the hotel until the team decided whether to DL the injured player. Now, the secrecy and isolation is gone, and the call-up can be in the clubhouse and participate in pregame workouts with the team in uniform at the stadium for up to 24 hours before either being activated or returning to the minors.

Rob Johnson technically was on the taxi squad and in the clubhouse until Josh Thole was placed on the DL on Tuesday. Last month, during the Mets' first trip to Philly, Josh Satin was at Citizens Bank Park for a day, then shipped back to Buffalo when the Mets decided David Wright did not need a DL trip for his fractured right pinkie. Placing a player on the taxi squad also allows the Triple-A team to add a player; in the past, while the potential call-up waited in limbo, the minor league squad was forced to play shorthanded because the player still counted against its roster until activated by the parent club.

"It's lonely," R.A. Dickey told Costa about the old system, when the player was hidden at the hotel. "Nobody there would talk to you. You get a random call at random times, 'Hey, we're not going to activate you tonight. Just spend the night. We might activate you tomorrow. Beeeeeep.' It's really bizarre. You feel like an MI-6 agent."

Satin told Costa that Wright apologized to him for having to fly to Philly only to return to Triple-A without being activated. Said Satin: "David said, 'I'm really sorry I made you come out here.' I said, 'Honestly, there's nothing to be sorry about.' There's plenty of worse things to do than sit in a big-league clubhouse and watch the Mets play the Phillies."

• Jeurys Familia limited Triple-A Gwinnett to one run in six innings and Buffalo won, 4-1, Wednesday. Read the full minor league recap here.

• Ronny Cedeno, on the DL with a left side muscle strain, played nine innings in an extended spring training game Wednesday. He is expected back this weekend in Miami, although Collins did not commit to a Friday return because he wants to see the middle infielder compete against higher-level pitching.

• Collins believes the spate of left-handed starting pitching the Mets have seen this season is a coincidence, not teams manipulating their rotation to line up against his club. Read more in the Times.

• Andres Torres is using a lighter bat than when he played for the Giants, the Daily News notes.

TRIVIA: Shane Victorino nearly played an Andres Torres sinking liner into an inside-the-park homer Wednesday, although Torres stopped at third. Which players have multiple inside-the-park homers while playing for the Mets?

Wednesday's answer: Ex-Met Omir Santos made his major league debut with the Baltimore Orioles on Sept. 5, 2008.

WHAT IT MEANS: They’re the comeback kings.

For the MLB-leading 11^th time this season, the Mets produced a comeback victory. It lifted them to a 10-6 win Wednesday at Citizens Bank Park and their first sweep of a three-game series in Philly since June 2006.

The Mets (18-13) moved five games over .500 for the first time since July 19, 2010, when they were 49-44.

The reeling Phillies, at 14-18, dropped four games under .500 for the first time since May 9, 2007 -- exactly five years ago. (Don’t look up how that season turned out in the NL East.)

The Mets had rallied from a 2-0 deficit in Monday’s series opener, then a 4-0 deficit Tuesday for victories. This time, they trailed 4-2 after six innings.

PEN PALTRY: After Cliff Lee departed at 84 pitches in his first outing since returning from the disabled list, the Mets rallied with a three-run seventh against reliever Kyle Kendrick. The first five batters reached, then Andres Torres delivered a run-scoring groundout to give the Mets a 5-4 lead.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis opened the frame with a walk. Justin Turner and Ike Davis consecutively doubled. Rob Johnson walked to load the bases. Then Kendrick plunked pinch hitter Lucas Duda to force in the tying run and set up Torres’ at-bat.

It marked the Phillies’ fifth blown save in their past 10 games.

Kendrick remained in for the eighth and surrendered a leadoff double to David Wright, then broken-bat RBI double to Scott Hairston as the Mets claimed a two-run lead. Later that inning, after Hunter Pence dropped a routine fly ball in right field, Davis launched a mammoth three-run homer off the façade of the second deck in right field against Jose Contreras to give the Mets a 9-4 cushion. It was Davis’ first long ball since April 18, against Atlanta’s Jair Jurrjens.

The Phillies had taken a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth while chasing Dillon Gee on a tiebreaking double by Freddy Galvis and RBI single by Laynce Nix.

HEY THERE MR.: D.J. Carrasco pitched the ninth in his first 2012 appearance with the Mets. He allowed one run.

WHAT’S NEXT: A day off at South Beach for the Mets on Thursday. The Amazin’s then open a weekend series against Jose Reyes and the Marlins on Friday -- their first glimpse at Miami’s new stadium. The opener, which features southpaws Johan Santana and Mark Buehrle, is the 8,000^th regular-season game in Mets history. And, presumably, the 8,000^th game in franchise history without a no-hitter. Reyes went 1-for-12 during the series at Citi Field.

As the Mets bullpen has imploded in recent weeks, manager Terry Collins has noticed a common theme: walks. The Mets issued only one walk Friday, but that walk was part of Arizona's three-run rally in the eighth that led to a 5-4 Diamondbacks' win.

"That's the thing that sticks out the most," Collins said. "The base on balls out of the pen have certainly come back to really bite us."

With the Mets up 4-2 and one on and no out in the eighth, Tim Byrdak walked Jason Kubel to bring the go-ahead run to the plate. Arizona scored both runners on base and took the lead on a Cody Ransom single. Over the last seven games, the once-reliable Mets bullpen is 1-3 and has allowed 24 earned runs in 25 innings.

"They've been going after hitters and pounding the strike zone and making guys swing the bat and that's what made them so effective early," Collins said. "Right now, we're deep in counts and we're falling behind. You can't do that here."

Jon Rauch, who blew his second save and was tagged with the loss, said he has not been executing well as of late and that it stinks to have let down his team. He said the entire bullpen's struggles have been a lack of execution, and wouldn't blame an increased workload.

"You can't come in and throw balls and expect to get everybody out after that," Rauch said. "So we've gotta do a better job. I know personally I need to do a better job, especially coming in with guys on base and not letting inherited runners scored."

DILLON PASSES TEST: In a 4-2 game with two on and no outs in the sixth, Collins wanted to let starter Dillon Gee try to work out of a tough jam, the way he had done previously this year when he picked up a win on April 16 against Atlanta.

Just like last time, Gee stranded the runners and kept the Mets out in front. While he was saddled with a no-decision, Gee left with his team in the lead after six innings of two-run ball. He gave up four hits, which is tied for the fewest he's allowed all year.

"I think those points in a game for a guy like me who is still young in this game, it gives me a chance to prove something, that I can battle and I can stick it out," Gee said.

Gee worked his way in and out of a couple of jams and believes he made good pitches late in the game. Those moments have shown his development from a rookie pitcher to a sophomore on the mound. He's 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA.

"Lately, I've been making good pitches late in the game and being able to get out of those type of situations, so I feel like I've grown a little bit as a pitcher this year," Gee said.

HONORING YAUCH: The Mets hitter all used at-bat music from the Beastie Boys to honor Adam Yauch, a founder of the hip-hop group who died Friday.

Lucas Duda belted a two-run homer and Dillon Gee gave the bullpen relief by completing seven innings and tossing a career-high 116 pitches as the Mets bounced back from Friday's lopsided loss with a 7-5 win against the Rockies on Saturday night.

Sunday's news reports:

• In this afternoon's series finale, Johan Santana opposes a 49-year southpaw, Jamie Moyer. Moyer has a 2.28 ERA through four starts this season after missing last year following Tommy John surgery.

“Surgery was my only choice, even if I didn’t play," Moyer told Roger Rubin in the Daily News. "To resume a normal life -- swing a golf club, play catch with my kids, throw them batting practice, be a normal person -- I had to have it. My rehab went well. It felt good playing catch and it felt good after my throwing program. I feel like looking back, if I didn’t try I would have always asked myself, ‘Could you have pitched?’ Right now I am finding out whether I can or I can’t.” Read more in the Times.

Santana is pitching on regular rest for the first time this season. The Mets have not scored a run with Santana on the mound in any of his four starts this season. Santana also has never pitched at high-altitude Coors Field. If Santana fails to be credited with a win Sunday, it will mark the first time since his rookie season he is without a victory in his first five starts of a season. He was winless in his five starts in 2000 with the Minnesota Twins, although that season he did pick up a pair of wins while making 25 relief appearances. Read more in the Record and Daily News.

• Read game recaps from Saturday's bounceback win in the Daily News, Post, Times, Star-Ledger, Record and Newsday.

• Despite the Mets facing three southpaws in the final four games of the trip, Terry Collins said Ike Davis will remain in the lineup for the remainder of the games out west. Davis singled and walked Saturday. He also sent one shot deep, which center fielder Dexter Fowler raced backward to corral. And he lined out to second baseman Marco Scutaro. Davis had been given Friday off in favor of Zach Lutz at first base against left-hander Drew Pomeranz. “I think he looks better,” hitting coach Dave Hudgens told Andy McCullough in the Star-Ledger. “He’s about ready to go.” Read more in the Post.

• Andres Torres, who landed on the DL after straining his left calf on Opening Day, completed a rehab assignment Saturday by going 1-for-3 with a walk, sacrifice bunt and run scored for Triple-A Buffalo. Torres is due to rejoin the Mets on Monday in Houston and should reoccupy center field. During five rehab games between Class A St. Lucie and Buffalo, Torres hit .263 (5-for-19) with one RBI, three steals, two walks and three strikeouts.

• Vinny Rottino drove in Omar Quintanilla in the bottom of the ninth and Buffalo beat Rochester, 4-3, Saturday. Jeremy Hefner, in his first game since tossing three scoreless innings for the Mets against San Francisco, had the longest outing by a Bisons pitcher this season -- 7 2/3 innings. (Hefner was ineligible to replace Chris Schwinden in the rotation Wednesday in Houston, even if the Mets were inclined to do so, because he is required to spend 10 full days in the minors after being optioned.) Read the full minor league recap here.

• Mike Kerwick in the Record wonders what type of card -- sympathy, thank you, etc. -- he ought to purchase Mike Pelfrey, who is expected to undergo Tommy John surgery this week. Pelfrey is traveling to Gulf Breeze, Fla., Monday to visit Dr. James Andrews. Pelfrey appears likely to be non-tendered in December. Writes Kerwick:

Teams always need pitching. A general manager with some gamble in him will roll the dice after that right elbow heals. But I wouldn't bank on getting a call from the Mets. I grab a card with Yoda on the cover. A challenge you face … succeed you will! We'll see about that. But I like the sentiment. It even plays the theme from "Star Wars."

TRIVIA: The Mets and Houston both debuted in 1962. Which Astros pitcher notched the most career wins against the Mets since their births?

Saturday's answer: Todd Helton is the Rockies' all-time leader in RBIs with 1,320 -- including on a fourth-inning double that scored Carlos Gonzalez on Saturday night. Larry Walker ranks second with 848. The rest of the top five: Dante Bichette 826, Vinny Castilla 745 and Andres Galarraga 579.

Dillon Gee, who turned 26 years old Saturday, said he continued to feel strong late in Saturday's start against the Colorado Rockies, despite tossing a career-high 116 pitches. Terry Collins said Gee looked so sharp in a 1-2-3 seventh inning that he almost could have sent the right-hander out for another inning. But that was not the prudent thing to do given the batters due up -- Carlos Gonzalez, Troy Tulowitzki and Todd Helton. So the manager summoned Tim Byrdak, who tossed a 1-2-3 frame in the eventual 7-5 victory.

Byrdak thanked Gee for even completing the seventh considering the bullpen worked so hard in Friday's 18-9 debacle.

"We needed some innings," Collins said.

Still, Gee said that entering the outing he was not conscious of the need to go deep in order to refresh the relief arms. Gee also was pleased with the success of his curveball. He was surprised about the quality given how much he heard about it being difficult to snap off breaking balls in high-altitude, dry Denver.

"It's definitely a positive sign to be at 110 pitches and still feel pretty good," Gee said.

Meanwhile, Lucas Duda -- who matched a career high with four RBIs -- now has a team-high 13 RBIs this season.

Collins said hitting coach Dave Hudgens and Duda watched films to contrast last season with this year. As a result of that session, the manager suggested, Duda is now less pull-happy and is keeping his head in the strike zone zone longer. Duda homered for the first time in two weeks.

Duda downplayed his renewed success, assigning it to luck, which perhaps has bred a little more confidence.

"Balls are falling and luck's kind of going my way right now," Duda said.

Recap | Box score | Photos

WHAT IT MEANS: A night after surrendering 18 runs and committing six errors, the Mets bounced back.

Lucas Duda homered and matched a career high with four RBIs and David Wright went 3-for-4, drove in a pair of runs and scored twice as the Mets beat the Rockies, 7-5, Saturday night at Coors Field.

Duda's two-run homer in the second inning, against right-hander Guillermo Moscoso, was the right fielder's first long ball since April 14 against Vance Worley in Philadelphia. Duda then delivered a two-run single in the fifth to give the Mets a 6-4 lead.

Duda also had produced four RBIs on June 25 of last season at Texas.

Ruben Tejada had another three hits, giving him seven in two games of the series. Daniel Murphy, who is due to get his first day off of the season during the upcoming Houston series, also had three hits Saturday.

One of the few downsides: Josh Thole lost a 10-game hitting streak and failed to reach base for the first time in 19 games with a plate appearance this season. The latter streak is the longest by a catcher to start a season in franchise history.

IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY: Pitching on his 26^th birthday, Dillon Gee allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits and two walks while striking out seven in a desperately needed seven innings after Friday's debacle. Gee threw a career-high 116 pitches. He retired the final seven Rockies he faced while evening his record at 2-2.

Gee's previous high pitch count had been 108 -- done twice, including last season against the Yankees, when he also allowed four runs on seven hits in seven innings.

Gee had trailed 4-3 after surrendering an RBI single to the opposing pitcher Moscoso in the fourth. It was the first hit of Moscoso's professional career -- in the majors or minors.

Tim Byrdak tossed a 1-2-3 eighth. Frank Francisco notched his fifth save despite surrendering a two-out solo homer in the ninth to Dexter Fowler, then a triple by Tyler Colvin that brought Jason Giambi to the plate as the tying run. Giambi lined out to Kirk Nieuwenhuis in center field to end the game.

WHAT'S NEXT: Johan Santana opposes 49-year-old Jamie Moyer in Sunday's 3:10 p.m. ET rubber game. Santana will pitch on standard rest for the first time this season. He also will pitch at Coors Field for the first time in his career. The Mets have yet to score for Santana while he has been on the mound in any of his four starts.