Lucas Duda pulled from lineup with hamstring injury

The Mets have only one player with a double-digit home run total, and they do not want to lose him. So when Lucas Duda told Terry Collins Wednesday that his hamstring felt tight, the manager immediately pulled him from the lineup.

"It's going to be 99 [degrees] and I didn't want him to get dehydrated and have that thing cramp up," Collins said before the game. "I just said with tomorrow off, let's be smart about this. I want him for the weekend."

Duda, who has 11 home runs, said: "It's just one of those things. I'll be fine."

Hot items

To mark the start of summer, the Mets are selling selected field level tickets for the Subway Series games Friday and Sunday for $94, matching the official game time temperature last night . . . If Ronny Cedeno is healthy enough to rejoin the Mets this weekend, he will start against lefthanded pitchers Andy Pettitte and CC Sabathia, Collins said. Omar Quintanilla will start against Ivan Nova . . . Aside from Frank Francisco definitely being the closer, there are no defined roles in the bullpen. "We're going to make the move that we think is going to get people out that inning," Collins said.

Wally world

It is no surprise to Mets management that when players such as Jordany Valdespin come up from Triple-A Buffalo, they are not intimidated. Bisons manager Wally Backman has them ready to play. "When you play for Wally, there are going to be expectations because that's who he is and what he was," Collins said.

Wilpon jokes around

Fred Wilpon had a lengthy, amiable conversation with retired former Met Carlos Delgado in the runway before the game. Then, riding away in a cart, Wilpon joked with reporters, "We just signed Delgado." The principal owner laughed when someone asked, "How about Shawn Green, did you sign him too?"