Nieve turns in solid start as New York Mets bounce back with 6-2 victory over Yankees

Nieve delivers, Mets bounce back to beat Yanks 6-2

NEW YORK — Injury fill-in Fernando Nieve earned his first major league victory in three years, Omir Santos drove in three runs and the New York Mets bounced back from a heartbreaking loss, beating the Yankees 6-2 Saturday.

Gary Sheffield homered for the second straight day against his former team and Santos hit a two-run shot off Andy Pettitte.

The Mets lost the Subway Series opener 9-8 Friday night at Yankee Stadium when second baseman Luis Castillo dropped Alex Rodriguez’s two-out popup in the ninth, allowing two runs to score. Castillo came back with two hits and was flawless in the field.

Rodriguez hit career homer No. 562 and Derek Jeter had an RBI infield single for the Yankees, who have lost four of five. A-Rod is one shy of Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson for 11th place on the all-time list.

Nieve (1-0) allowed two runs and four hits over 6 2-3 innings in his first major league start in three years — highlighting Fernandomania for the Mets. Rookie Fernando Martinez collected a season-high three hits, and Fernando Tatis scored twice and drove in a run.

The Mets backed him with a season-high with 17 hits and did not commit an error in one of their tightest all-around games of the year.

Sean Green replaced Nieve with runners on first and third and gave up Jeter’s run-scoring hit. Green then got Johnny Damon on a grounder to end the inning and pitched a perfect eighth against the Yankees’ 3-4-5 hitters.

Francisco Rodriguez finished the day after Castillo’s error gave him his first blown save of the season.

Nieve provided a timely boost for the injury-depleted Mets, who had lost three consecutive games in dramatic fashion. Philadelphia took two straight at Citi Field with extra-inning homers before Friday night’s stunning loss.

Nieve was promoted from Triple-A Buffalo when the Mets placed reliever J.J. Putz (elbow surgery) on the disabled list June 5. The 26-year-old right-hander missed most of 2007 because of elbow surgery and made 11 relief appearances for Houston last year.

The Mets claimed Nieve off waivers in March and he threw two scoreless innings at Washington last Saturday in his first outing with the team. He picked up his first win since June 25, 2006, for Houston at the Chicago White Sox.

Pettitte (6-3) was tagged for five runs and 12 hits in five innings, dropping to 8-5 in 19 regular-season starts against the Mets.

Santos went deep in the second and the Mets added three more in the fifth. Sheffield had an RBI single, Tatis drove in a run with a fielder’s choice and Santos doubled in Tatis to make it 5-1.

Sheffield hit career homer No. 506 off Alfredo Aceves with one out in the seventh.

NOTES: Damon returned to the starting lineup after a doctor told him caffeine could be the cause of his eye trouble and suggested he stay away from coffee and energy drinks for a while to see if that helps. … Nieve’s previous start was June 15, 2006, for Houston at the Chicago Cubs.