The Mets defeat the Marlins, 2 – 1, in a game marking the return of star shortstop Jose Reyes to New York after leaving the Big Apple for Miami as a free agent the previous off-season. Johan Santana strikes out 11 in 6 2/3 innings for the Mets, but leaves the game trailing, 1 – 0, as his teammates have yet to score a run in support of his pitching this year. The Mets score two late runs to win the game, but it is reliever Jon Rauch who gets the W. Before the game, the Mets place two key players on the disabled list, LF Jason Bay who has a broken rib, and starting P Mike Pelfrey, who has swelling in his elbow.

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The Mets defeat the Marlins, 2 – 1, in a game marking the return of star shortstop Jose Reyes to New York after leaving the Big Apple for Miami as a free agent the previous off-season. Johan Santana strikes out 11 in 6 2/3 innings for the Mets, but leaves the game trailing, 1 – 0, as his teammates have yet to score a run in support of his pitching this year. The Mets score two late runs to win the game, but it is reliever Jon Rauch who gets the W. Before the game, the Mets place two key players on the disabled list, LF Jason Bay who has a broken rib, and starting P Mike Pelfrey, who has swelling in his elbow.

Two anniversaries clash in New York, as the Mets celebrate a half century of existence, and Washington Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg the second anniversary of his professional debut. Strasburg has the upper hand, pitching 6 scoreless innings to earn his first win of the year, 4 – 0. His opponent Johan Santana, also coming back from arm surgery, gives up a single run in 5 innings when Mark DeRosa scores on a wild pitch in the 2nd, but it’s enough to saddle him with the loss.

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Two anniversaries clash in New York, as the Mets celebrate a half century of existence, and Washington Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg the second anniversary of his professional debut. Strasburg has the upper hand, pitching 6 scoreless innings to earn his first win of the year, 4 – 0. His opponent Johan Santana, also coming back from arm surgery, gives up a single run in 5 innings when Mark DeRosa scores on a wild pitch in the 2nd, but it’s enough to saddle him with the loss.

In an important step in his recovery from shoulder surgery in 2010, Mets pitcher Johan Santana faces hitters for the first time in spring training. The team is hopeful he will be ready for Opening Day.

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In an important step in his recovery from shoulder surgery in 2010, Mets pitcher Johan Santana faces hitters for the first time in spring training. The team is hopeful he will be ready for Opening Day.

Johan Santana provides his own run support, banging the first homer of his career in a three-hit shutout of the Cincinnati Reds, 3 – 0. The Mets’ ace connects off Matt Maloney for a solo shot that opens the scoring in the 3rd.

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Johan Santana provides his own run support, banging the first homer of his career in a three-hit shutout of the Cincinnati Reds, 3 – 0. The Mets’ ace connects off Matt Maloney for a solo shot that opens the scoring in the 3rd.

The Yankees are back in first place in the AL East, one game ahead of the surging Red Sox and slumping Rays, after CC Sabathia pitches 8 scoreless innings as the Bronx Bombers shut out the Mets and Johan Santana, 4 – 0. All the runs come on Mark Teixeira’s grand slam.

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On June 20, The Yankees are back in first place in the AL East, one game ahead of the surging Red Sox and slumping Rays, after CC Sabathia pitches 8 scoreless innings as the Bronx Bombers shut out the Mets and Johan Santana, 4 – 0. All the runs come on Mark Teixeira’s grand slam.

In San Diego, Adrian Gonzalez hits a walk-off grand slam in the 11th inning to lead the Padres to a 5 – 1 win over the Mets. San Diego’s David Eckstein had tied the game at 1 with a single with two outs in the bottom of the 9th against Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez, after 8 scoreless innings by Johan Santana. It’s not the only late-game grand slam hit today: in Toronto, Carl Crawford of the Rays also hits one, capping a six-run 9th inning, to beat the Blue Jays, 7 – 3, and give David Price his American League-leading 8th win of the year.

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In San Diego, Adrian Gonzalez hits a walk-off grand slam in the 11th inning to lead the Padres to a 5 – 1 win over the Mets. San Diego’s David Eckstein had tied the game at 1 with a single with two outs in the bottom of the 9th against Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez, after 8 scoreless innings by Johan Santana. It’s not the only late-game grand slam hit today: in Toronto, Carl Crawford of the Rays also hits one, capping a six-run 9th inning, to beat the Blue Jays, 7 – 3, and give David Price his American League-leading 8th win of the year.

The Mets win their first subway series against the crosstown Yankees since 1998 with a 6 – 4 victory. Jason Bay homers twice – only his second and third long balls of the year – against CC Sabathia. Johan Santana is the winner and Francisco Rodriguez picks up the save by striking out Alex Rodriguez with two men on to end the game.

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The Mets win their first subway series against the crosstown Yankees since 1998 with a 6 – 4 victory. Jason Bay homers twice – only his second and third long balls of the year – against CC Sabathia. Johan Santana is the winner and Francisco Rodriguez picks up the save by striking out Alex Rodriguez with two men on to end the game.

The Phillies take over first place in the NL East by beating Mets ace Johan Santana like a rag doll. Santana gives up 10 runs, including 8 in the 4th inning, which he fails to complete. With the Mets leading 5 – 3, he issues a two-out bases-loaded walks to his opposite, Jamie Moyer, then Shane Victorino blasts a grand slam to open the floodgates. Chase Utley adds a two-run shot to chase Santana; Placido Polanco and Ryan Howard had homered earlier against him. The Phillies win, 11 – 5.

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The Phillies take over first place in the NL East by beating Mets ace Johan Santana like a rag doll. Santana gives up 10 runs, including 8 in the 4th inning, which he fails to complete. With the Mets leading 5 – 3, he issues a two-out bases-loaded walks to his opposite, Jamie Moyer, then Shane Victorino blasts a grand slam to open the floodgates. Chase Utley adds a two-run shot to chase Santana; Placido Polanco and Ryan Howard had homered earlier against him. The Phillies win, 11 – 5.

The Mets sweep the Dodgers in a doubleheader, 4 – 0 and 10 – 5, to extend their winning streak to 6 games and to record their 8th win in their last 9 games. Jason Bay hits his first home run as a Met in support of Johan Santana’s pitching in the opener, while David Wright drives in four runs in the nitecap.

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The Mets sweep the Dodgers in a doubleheader, 4 – 0 and 10 – 5, to extend their winning streak to 6 games and to record their 8th win in their last 9 games. Jason Bay hits his first home run as a Met in support of Johan Santana’s pitching in the opener, while David Wright drives in four runs in the nitecap.

The Mets need 20 innings to beat the Cardinals, 2 – 1, in the longest game since this date in 2008. Jose Reyes drives in the winning run with a sacrifice fly after going 0 for 7 for the day in a game dominated by the pitchers. Both starters, Johan Santana for New York and Jaime Garcia for St. Louis, pitch 7 scoreless innings and the game is still scoreless after 17 frames, but the Cardinals eventually run out of able-bodied pitchers. 2B Felipe Lopez is sent out to the mound and pitches a scoreless 18th inning, while P Kyle Lohse goes out to play left field, but their teammate, OF Joe Mather, gives up a run in the top of the 19th. However, Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez gives the run right back, but the Mets score again off Mather in the 20th. Mather is saddled with the loss, while Rodriguez gets the win and starter Mike Pelfrey comes out in the 21st to record the save for the Mets.

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The Mets need 20 innings to beat the Cardinals, 2 – 1, in the longest game since this date in 2008. Jose Reyes drives in the winning run with a sacrifice fly after going 0 for 7 for the day in a game dominated by the pitchers. Both starters, Johan Santana for New York and Jaime Garcia for St. Louis, pitch 7 scoreless innings and the game is still scoreless after 17 frames, but the Cardinals eventually run out of able-bodied pitchers. 2B Felipe Lopez is sent out to the mound and pitches a scoreless 18th inning, while P Kyle Lohse goes out to play left field, but their teammate, OF Joe Mather, gives up a run in the top of the 19th. However, Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez gives the run right back, but the Mets score again off Mather in the 20th. Mather is saddled with the loss, while Rodriguez gets the win and starter Mike Pelfrey comes out in the 21st to record the save for the Mets.