NEW YORK (AP) -- The New York Mets put an emphatic end to their

first slump of the season with a big offensive performance against

Randy Johnson.

Steve Trachsel won his fifth straight start and the Mets roughed

up Johnson for the second time this year, snapping their four-game

slide with an 8-3 victory over the Yankees on Saturday.

"You have to make sure that four-game losing streak doesn't

become a five -- and you don't get complacent with the lead that we

have," David Wright said.

Paul Lo Duca had three hits and two RBI for the Mets, held to

one hit by five Yankees pitchers in a 2-0 defeat Friday. Wright got

them going with a two-run double in the first inning, and No. 9

batter Eli Marrero capped the outburst with a homer off Johnson in

the sixth.

Ramon Castro's two-run single keyed a five-run fourth for the NL

East leaders, who scored just eight runs during their losing streak

yet still began the day with a 10½-game cushion in the division.

Leadoff batter Jose Reyes got two hits and scored twice.

"When he goes, the rest of the team goes," Wright said. "He

provides so much momentum."

The Mets, who stacked their lineup with nine right-handed

batters against Johnson, hadn't dropped three in a row all season

before getting swept in Boston this week.

"They can beat you in a lot of different ways," Derek Jeter

said.

Alex Rodriguez knocked in two runs for the Yankees and hit his

17th homer in the eighth, making it 8-3.

Coming off three consecutive strong starts, Johnson (9-7) was

ineffective in this one. He gave up eight runs and eight hits in

six innings, striking out seven and walking three. The Big Unit

fell to 0-1 with an 11.45 ERA in two Subway Series starts against

the Mets this season.

"I felt like my stuff was there. I know I pitched bad and I

know I gave up eight runs, but I felt better than what the

linescore indicates," Johnson said. "I was pleased with my

velocity and, for the most part, feeling good out there. I'm not

searching for anything that I had been early in the year."

Trachsel (7-4) pitched out of trouble early, allowing two runs,

seven hits -- all singles -- and four walks in six-plus innings. He

is unbeaten in eight outings since a 1-0 loss in St. Louis on May

17.

The right-hander departed with tightness in his right groin

after reaching high for Miguel Cairo's infield single leading off

the seventh and stumbling awkwardly on the mound. He is day to day.

"It's been tight for a couple of weeks, but it never really

bothered me walking or pitching or anything. But today, I felt it

jumping. I don't know exactly why. It'll be OK," Trachsel said.

Aaron Heilman and Billy Wagner finished up.

After managing only one hit Friday night, the Mets doubled that

total after two batters Saturday. Lo Duca's double put runners at

second and third before Wright, who struck out all three times up

the previous night, hit a two-run double with one out.

"You want to stop the bleeding, the avalanche, whatever you

want to call it. It's basically just getting a win," Mets manager

Willie Randolph said. "Our attitude on the bench and in the

clubhouse has been pretty consistent. We don't even feel like we're

struggling. If you came in today, you wouldn't even know we had

lost last night."

The Yankees loaded the bases with none out in the third, and

Rodriguez lined an RBI single on an 0-2 pitch from Trachsel. But he

got Jorge Posada to ground into a run-scoring double play and

settled in from there.

"In the early innings I was fighting to get a grip. The

curveball was all over the place. But by the fifth inning, I had

control of my stuff," Trachsel said.

The Mets got a bad break in the fourth, but still put together a

big inning. Johnson's 1-2 delivery hit Xavier Nady around the

ankle, which should have loaded the bases with none out. But plate

umpire Gerry Davis didn't see it and called the pitch a ball. Nady

then struck out.

Still, Chris Woodward drew a walk, and Castro's two-run single

put the Mets in front. Reyes added an RBI single with two outs and

Lo Duca followed with a two-run single, making it 7-2.

Johnson has allowed 16 homers in 18 starts.

"When he got hurt he was behind in the count," Posada said.

"He's our No. 1 guy. We need him to feel comfortable and do the

things he's capable of doing."Game notes
Johnson's first two pitches in the second were lined right

back at him for outs, one hit by Woodward and the other by Castro.

... Mets 1B Carlos Delgado sat out for the third consecutive game

with an ailing ribcage. ... Trachsel and Yankees slugger Jason

Giambi were teammates at Long Beach State in 1991 on a team that

went to the College World Series. ... Lo Duca was the DH again

because of a bruised left thumb.