Pagan (4 hits, 4 RBIs) leads Mets' rout of Tigers

Angel Pagan's evening began with the news that Carlos Beltran soon will be stalking him from Port St. Lucie, working to reclaim the centerfield job that Pagan has filled with aplomb this season.

Beltran is going to begin a minor-league rehab assignment Thursday with the Mets' Class-A affiliate. When he's ready, Beltran will be the Mets' centerfielder. General manager Omar Minaya and manager Jerry Manuel made that clear last night.

All Pagan can do is keep smiling, which he did when quizzed by reporters, and keep hitting, which he did in the Mets' 14-6 win over the Tigers at Citi Field.

Pagan went 4-for-6 with a double, triple and four RBIs as the Mets built a 10-0 lead after three innings.

"All that's in my mind is trying to help the team," Pagan said. "Whether it's offensively, defensively, it doesn't matter. I'm personally taking advantage of the opportunity, trying to help the team as much as I can and trying to cover Carlos' spot. That's a big responsibility and I'm just trying to do my best right now."

The Mets won despite a shaky outing from Jonathon Niese, who couldn't get the final out of the fifth inning and missed an opportunity for a victory.

That Niese had nothing left by the fifth wasn't exactly his fault. He went 92 minutes between throwing the final pitch of the top of the third inning and the first pitch of the fourth because of a 58-minute rain delay, which took place during the Mets' eight-run third.

Manuel said he left Niese in because he hadn't thrown more than 50 pitches (he had thrown 45) and the rain delay wasn't more than an hour.

"I thought I stayed mentally sharp," said Niese, who was charged with six runs in 42/3 innings. "It was just one of those things where the first three innings having a good feel for everything and the weather changed and I just took for granted that my stuff was still going to be there and it really wasn't . . . I just lost command of all of my pitches."

The Mets took a 2-0 lead in the first against Justin Verlander (8-5) as Pagan drove in a run with a triple and scored on David Wright's sacrifice fly.

It was 3-0 in the third when heavy rains forced a delay. The Tigers did not bring back Verlander when play resumed with runners on second and third, and the Mets took advantage against the Detroit bullpen.

Righthander Jay Sborz, who replaced Verlander, was making his major-league debut. It was one to remember.

Sborz hit the first two batters he faced, including Jeff Francoeur to drive in a run. Another run scored on a fielder's choice before Jose Reyes (RBI single), Pagan (two-run single) and Ike Davis (two-run double off lefty Brad Thomas) helped the Mets to the 10-0 lead.

Niese, who threw no-hit ball in the first three innings, came back after the delay and was hit hard. The Tigers scored two in the fourth and four in the fifth.

Niese faced 14 batters after the delay and nine of them reached. When he walked Brandon Inge with two outs, Manuel brought in Fernando Nieve with the bases loaded.

Nieve allowed an RBI single to Danny Worth before striking out Ryan Raburn to end the inning. Nieve (2-3) settled things down, allowing no runs over 21/3 innings for the win.

Wright went 3-for-3 with two walks, a sacrifice fly and two RBIs. Davis had three hits and three RBIs.