Mets defeat Yankees behind Santana's pitching

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The New York Mets beat the New York Yankees 7-4 to claim the first game of their Subway Series on Saturday.

Two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana, acquired by the Mets from the Minnesota Twins in the offseason after being courted by the Yankees, overcame a shaky start to pitch seven-plus innings in the interleague game at Yankee Stadium.

"That's what I'm here for," Santana told reporters. "I know exactly what my role is....I'm here to help this team win games."

Seventh-inning home runs by Jose Reyes and David Wright off Yankees reliever Kyle Farnsworth broke open the game.

Santana (5-2) won despite giving up three home runs. He struck out five, walked two and yielded seven hits.

Billy Wagner, who criticised his team mates earlier this week, achieved the third out of the eighth inning and held the Yankees scoreless in the ninth to get his ninth save.

"I've been telling Willie (manager Willie Randolph) for a while that I can do that," Wagner, asked about the extra work, told reporters.

"We don't have to wait until the ninth all the time, because a lot of games change in that eighth inning, and I don't mind doing it."

The Mets pounded out 13 hits against four Yankees pitchers with Wright and Carlos Beltran both getting three hits.