The Mets are already looking ahead after beating the Milwaukee Brewers 9-3 yesterday to set two franchise records for best starts to a season.

Atlanta is coming to town, and the Mets are looking for a fast start against their NL East rivals.

“They’re the division champions,” said manager Willie Randolph, whose team opens a three game set against the Braves today. “Those are the guys we’ve got to go through to be where we want to be”

The Mets are feeling good after taking two of three from the Brewers to improve to 9-2, their fastest start ever. The Mets also set a franchise mark by winning their first four series of the season.

Xavier Nady drove in three runs with a home run and a sacrifice fly and Carlos Delgado hit a three-run homer against the Brewers, who snapped New York’s seven-game winning streak with an 8-2 win Saturday.

David Wright, leading the National League in hitting with a .421 average entering the game, had a single and double and scored twice.

The Brewers left eight runners on base in the first three innings against Brian Bannister (2-0), who was making his third big league start. He threw 112 pitches in five innings, but allowed just one run and left the game leading 4-1.

“My approach is I don’t give in,” Bannister said. “I’ll walk guys before I’ll give them a pitch they can drive. I’ll keep making my pitches all day.”

The Mets had a 4-3 lead before scoring five runs in the ninth. Delgado hit a three-run drive and Victor Diaz doubled home two more runs.

Nady’s third home run of the season gave the Mets a 2-0 lead in the second. He connected against Milwaukee starter Ben Sheets (0-1) following a leadoff single by Wright. Sheets was activated from the disabled list before the game and had not pitched since last August 26 because of a right shoulder strain. He worked five innings.

Bannister escaped a two-on, two-out jam in the first when he got Corey Koskie to bounce out. Then Milwaukee loaded the bases with none out in the second but Bannister struck out Sheets and Gabe Gross and got J.J. Hardy on a fly ball to end the inning.

In the third, singles by Jenkins and Koskie and a walk to Hall loaded the bases again. Bannister then struck out Fielder and got Miller on a fly ball.

Milwaukee reached Bannister for a run in the fourth on a double by Gross, a wild pitch, and an infield out.

Endy Chavez played center field for the Mets in place of Carlos Beltran, who sat out because of tightness in his right hamstring. Beltran was hurt in Saturday’s loss when he nearly collided in a play at first base with Prince Fielder.

“I went to see the doctor after the game and he said it was nothing major,” Beltran said. “But I woke up Sunday feeling sore.”

Beltran reported the injury to Randolph and they decided he would take the day off and see how the injury responds to treatment and medication.

“I’ll take it easy today and then we’ll see about tomorrow,” Beltran said. “To me, it’s nothing major”