By Michael Ventura
DNAinfo Senior Editor
MANHATTAN — It's Amazin' — the Mets are in first place.
OK, it's only April, but after a sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers in a doubleheader Tuesday the Mets have taken a half-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League standings.
The twin wins ran the Mets' winning streak to six games.
In the first game, ace Johan Santana led the Amazins in a 4-0 shutout. In the second game, the Mets doubled-up the Dodgers, 10-5.
In the latter contest, Mets third baseman David Wright snapped out of a slump with three hits and four RBI, most of which came on a bases-loaded triple in the sixth.
“I’m glad I can finally contribute,” Wright said, the New York Times reported.
Shaky starter Oliver Perez was chased in the fourth inning, after squandering a three-run lead.
Long reliever Hisanori Takahashi got the win, and may end up replacing Perez in the rotation.
Rookie sensation Ike Davis hit a double to drive in two runs during the second game.
In Game 1, Mets slugger Jason Bay, who had also been slumping, got his first home run of the season.
“We were waiting for this,” Santana said of Bay's blast, according to the Times. “It was great to see him smiling.”
Manager Jerry Manuel agreed.
“I knew once some of those middle-of-the-order guys hit, that it could be a lot of fun,” Manuel told the New York Post. “The good thing is we have won when we haven’t hit. Now that we’re hitting, it makes it an all-inclusive type of thing.”
Next up for the Mets is another game with the Dodgers Wednesday night. John Maine will be on the mound.
