Pedro back to being Pedro

Pedro Martinez did much more than win in his return to the Mets Tuesday night. He restored confidence in a starting rotation that took a hit the night before with the pathetic effort by Ollie Perez. Pedro brought a swagger to the club that has been altogether absent for much of the season, but now that the team is winning again, that injection of Pedro could be the thing the team needs to keep moving forward and win consistently again.

He did in style, of course. Pedro threw six innings and 109 pitches, allowing three runs on seven hits and three walks, with three strikeouts -- two in the sixth inning when he needed them most, to get out of one final jam. He even had two hits and drove in a run as his mates gave hom plenty of run support in the 9-6 victory.

You couldn't have asked for more, and if Pedro is indeed healthy enough to finish the season at a high level, then the Mets have a lot to be excited about.

Willie looked like a genius in giving Castillo the night off in favor of Damion Easley, batting the righty second in the order against lefty Barry (Baked) Zito. Easley had three hits and capped off the Mets' eight-run fifth inning with a bases-loaded, three-run double that put the game out of reach.

Joe Smith and Pedro Feliciano each retired the side in order in the seventh and eighth. Scott Schoeneweis took a hit for the first time in a while, allowing a three-run homer in the ninth, but Wagner came on with one on and one out and two pitches later, got the save with a double-play grounder.

Jose Reyes saw his hitting streak snapped but he did reach twice on errors, extending his team-record, single-season mark for consecutive games reaching base to 34. John Olerud reached base 47 straight games over two seasons.

So Johan, Maine and Pedro has a nice ring to it, and has the added benefit of essentially making Ollie the fourth starter. Any job stability that Perez may have had is fast disappearing, and a few more starts like the last one may earn him a trip to AAA.