Pence takes Santana deep twice as Astros edge Mets

HOUSTON - Johan Santana gave up a pair of home runs to Hunter Pence, including a tiebreaking shot in the bottom of the eighth inning, as the Astros beat the Mets last night at Minute Maid Park, 4-3.

Pence hit a three-run home run in the first inning and a solo shot in the eighth for all of the Astros' runs.

Santana (10-7) said he had a little trouble getting loose in the first inning, but he settled down after that. He also said he didn't think Pence's second shot was going to go out.

"I knew in this ballpark that you have to throw the right pitch," said Santana, who threw his second complete game in a row. "They put the ball in play, it has a very good chance to be a homer, and that was the case."

The Mets, trailing since the first inning, had just tied the score in the top of the eighth when David Wright homered off former Yankee Mark Melancon (1-0), who went to Houston as part of the Lance Berkman deal. It was Wright's 18th home run.

Santana, who shut out the Rockies in his previous start, saw a 161/3-inning scoreless streak end three batters into the bottom of the first when Pence went deep to left to give Houston a 3-1 lead.

Santana allowed nine hits in eight innings and threw 103 pitches. He walked one and struck out seven. He has allowed 12 home runs in 179 innings this season.

Pence had been 2-for-9 with no home runs off Santana coming into the game. The homers were Pence's 17th and 18th of the season.

The Mets scored in the first inning on Fernando Martinez's RBI single and in the second on Jose Reyes' run-scoring groundout against former Met Nelson Figueroa, who went five innings.

Reyes had a chance with the tying run on second in the ninth inning, but he fouled out to leftfield against Wilton Lopez (first save) to end the game.

Notes & quotes: The Mets called up RHP Ryota Igarashi to replace Francisco Rodriguez on the roster.