CINCINNATI — The National League’s top team opened the second half with a motto: Don’t look back. So far, it’s working. No one is even close to the Mets.

Endy Chavez’s tiebreaking double in the 10th inning sent the

Mets to a 4–2 victory yesterday over the Cincinnati Reds, leaving the NL’s bestpositioned team on an upswing.

Cliff Floyd and Carlos Delgado hit solo homers off an otherwise-tough Bronson Arroyo, helping the Mets take two of three in the series. New York has won six of its last eight overall, improving the league’s best record to 57–38.

Since June 22, the Mets have enjoyed a double-digit lead in the NL East, providing a temptation to relax. There’s no indication that they’re going to do it.

“It’s important to start any half this way,” said closer Billy Wagner, who pitched a perfect 10th to get his 19th save in 23 chances. “It pays dividends for a team.You continue to have a good feeling. I also think that with the lead we have, that you want to keep going out there and pushing. Today was one of those wins where we really overcame a lot.”

Cincinnati also has been on an upswing since the break, going 5–2 while rebuilding its bullpen with two trades. One of the newcomers let this one get away.

Right-hander Gary Majewski, acquired in an eight-player deal with Washington a week earlier, gave up doubles to Xavier Nady and Chavez in the 10th, leaving him with a blown save and a loss in three appearances for the Reds.

Carlos Beltran completed the rally with a run-scoring double off Kent Mercker. Pedro Feliciano (4–2) pitched the ninth to get the win for the Mets, who lead the NL with a 30–20 road record.

The Reds were facing one of their toughest challenges yesterday: beat Tom Glavine.The left-hander has dominated Cincinnati since the earliest days of his 19-year career. He’s 26–12 overall, the most times any current pitcher has beaten the Reds.

Arroyo kept up with him, turning it into a starters’ draw.

Glavine left with the bases loaded and the score tied at 2 in the seventh inning. Reliever Chad Bradford pitched out of the threat, leaving Glavine with his fourth no-decision in his last five starts.

Ryan Freel tied it with a two-run double in the fifth, the only inning that Glavine later lamented. Freel had three of Cincinnati’s nine hits off the left-hander, who has been stuck on 11 wins since June 23.

“I felt good,” Glavine said.”In my last couple of games, I just seem to have that one inning or two innings that become difficult, become the turning point in the game for me. It’s not like the third time through the lineup I’m getting hammered.There’s a ground ball, a bloop hit, and things get going.”

Arroyo struck out eight and gave up only six hits in eight innings, including the solo homers by Floyd and Delgado.