Those Mets

METS SURVIVE STORM, SCORE FOURTEEN TIMES IN ROUT

On the same day the Mets announced that Carlos Beltran will be starting a rehab assignment, a concrete step toward the outfielder's comeback from knee surgery, Angel Pagan added more proof he deserves to stay in the lineup somehow when Beltran returns. Pagan, who has been starting in center field most of the season in Beltran's absence, tripled in the Mets' first run on their biggest scoring night in nearly two years and finished with four hits, four RBI and three runs in a 14-6 victory over the Tigers and their ace, Justin Verlander, at Citi Field. The four hits matched Pagan's career high. The Mets' outburst is the most runs the they have scored in a game since they beat the Yankees, 15-6, on June 27, 2008 at Yankee Stadium. After three innings Tuesday night, they were ahead, 10-0. Ike Davis knocked in three runs and David Wright and Jason Bay had two RBI apiece for the Mets, who ended a brief two-game skid in front of 32,363 at Citi Field. Wright and Jose Reyes also scored three runs each. Jon Niese fell one out short of recording his fourth straight victory, allowing six runs in 42/3 innings. Verlander (8-5), who did not return after a 58-minute rain delay, allowed five runs in two-plus innings. Niese did not allow a hit in the first three innings, so Met fans hungry for the team's first no-hitter could start dreaming again. But the Mets' big third inning, which was interrupted by the rain delay, may have helped sap Niese's stuff. The Mets scored eight times in the third, the most runs they've scored in one frame since tallying eight times last Aug. 18 against the Braves. Before the rain delay, Verlander walked Wright, gave up a single to Davis and an RBI double to Jason Bay, which lifted the Met lead to 3-0. After the rain, which was so heavy it sent fans racing for cover, Verlander did not return, having already thrown 61 pitches and sitting for so long. He was replaced by Jay Sborz, who was called up earlier in the day to replace the demoted Rick Porcello and was making his major-league debut. It did not go well. Sborz hit Rod Barajas to load the bases then hit Jeff Francoeur to force in the fourth run. After Ruben Tejada knocked in another run with a fielder's choice, Niese struck out and then Sborz allowed three consecutive singles to push the Met lead to 8-0 and end the his evening. Lefty Brad Thomas came in and gave up a two-run double to Davis and then walked two consecutive hitters to load the bases before retiring Francoeur on a fly to left. The Mets sent 14 batters to the plate in the inning and had six hits - two of them doubles - and two hit batsmen and two walks. Six hits in a single inning is the Mets' season high, done five different times. There was a price of sorts to pay, though. The Mets stuck with Niese and it was apparent quickly the delay turned him into a different pitcher. Including the Mets' big inning, he went about 90 minutes between pitches. The Tigers were 0-for-9 with two walks and a hit batsman against him in the first three innings, but after the delay, Niese faced 14 batters and got only five outs. He walked one batter, hit another and allowed seven hits, including three doubles and a tremendous home run to Brennan Boesch that landed in the Tigers bullpen near the 415-feet sign in center. Niese had won all three of his previous starts since coming off the disabled list, including a one-hit shutout of the Padres, and the Mets seemed to be leaving him in to make it through the five innings necessary to qualify for a victory. But he could not make it. He allowed four runs in the fifth inning and was pulled after walking Brandon Inge to load the bases with two out. Fernando Nieve allowed one inherited runner to score, but struck out pinch-hitter Ryan Raburn - who had batted twice in the inning - to end the frame with the Mets ahead, 11-6. The Mets added three more runs in the sixth, starting when Reyes reached on a wild pitch after striking out. Pagan singled for his fourth hit, Wright followed with an RBI double, Davis hit an RBI single and Bay a sac fly.