Mets Top Reds As Offense, Perez Click

Oliver Perez plays baseball like a child in a school yard — hitting, pitching, stealing bases, experimenting with different arm angles.

All were on display in the Mets' 8-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds yesterday in which the left-hander earned his first win since April 19.

"He might drive you nuts every once in a while," manager Willie Randolph said, "but he competes, man."

The day's oddest moment came not from Perez but the Reds, who batted out of order in the ninth inning after an earlier double switch. Sorting it all out resulted in a 10-minute delay.

Outfielder Corey Patterson was charged with an out when backup catcher David Ross came to the plate instead of him in the no. 8 spot and lined out. Ross had to hit again, and this time he singled.

The Mets, who hadn't hit back-to-back home runs all season before Saturday, did it for the second straight day. Carlos Beltran and Ryan Church went deep in the fifth inning as their offense continues to show hints of finding the consistency that's been lacking much of this year.

The Mets have at least 11 hits in four of their last five games. The one exception was a 7-1 loss in the nightcap of Saturday's doubleheader, in which they managed just four. They had that many in a three-run first inning yesterday.

Jose Reyes led off with a single, stole second ,and scored on Luis Castillo's triple.

Castillo ripped a line drive to right-center between Ken Griffey Jr. and Ryan Freel. Griffey pulled up at the last second, while Freel dived unsuccessfully for the ball, which rolled all the way to the wall.

"We had a little communication problem," Freel said, "but it was also tough to read the wind out there."

Castillo felt discomfort in his left quadriceps on the triple and later left the game.

Doubles by Beltran and Moises Alou off rookie Johnny Cueto (2-4) drove in two more runs.

Beltran has nine hits in his last 22 at-bats, including his two-run homer in the fifth. Church followed with his drive to put the Mets up 6-0. Carlos Delgado and Brian Schneider went back-to-back in the first game of the doubleheader.