Torii Hunter hit a two-run homer and Scott Baker pitched five effective innings to help the Minnesota Twins beat the Mets 6–2 last night.

Joe Mauer also drove in two runs for Minnesota, which won two of three in its first series at Shea Stadium since 2002. Johan Santana tossed a four-hitter in the Twins’ 9-0 victory Tuesday night and Baker allowed two runs and seven hits in the finale.

Carlos Beltran went 3-for-4 and singled in a run for the foundering Mets, who have lost 13 of 16. New York has dropped six straight series since it took two of three games against San Francisco from May 29–31.

Baker (2–2) struck out three and walked none in his first win since May 19. He had allowed 17 runs in 13 1-3 innings over his previous three starts.

Dennys Reyes, Matt Guerrier, Pat Neshek, and Joe Nathan combined to throw four scoreless innings of relief for the Twins.

David Wright hit an RBI single to put New York ahead 2–1 in the third, but Oliver Perez (7–6) couldn’t preserve the lead.

Perez threw 7.1 innings in a 2–0 victory over Roger Clemens and the New York Yankees in his previous start but struggled with his control against the Twins. He had to wiggle out of several jams in the early going.

Hunter came up with runners on first and third in the first and struck out to end the inning. Justin Morneau hit a two-out RBI triple in the third and was stranded there when Perez got Hunter to bounce out to third.

Hunter finally got the best of Perez in the fifth. With two outs and Mauer on third, Hunter pulled a 1-2 pitch over the wall in left field to give Minnesota a 3-2 lead. His 15th homer of the season snapped a 1-for-15 skid.

Pinch-hitter Mike Redmond had an RBI single in the sixth and Mauer lined a two-run double into the gap in left-center to make it 6–2.

Perez allowed four runs and five hits in 5.1 innings. He walked five and struck out three. He had worked at least seven innings in six of his previous seven starts.

Notes: Twins broadcaster and former big league pitcher Bert Blyleven got a haircut before the game, courtesy of Santana. Blyleven said he would shave his head if Santana threw a shutout against the Mets, and the two-time Cy Young Award winner pulled it off Tuesday. “So what are we going to do next time,” a smiling Santana said before he shaved Blyleven’s head in the middle of the visitors’ clubhouse. … Minnesota 2B Luis Castillo doubled in the first inning to end a career-worst 0-for-21 skid. … Mets SS Jose Reyes singled in the third to extend his hitting streak to 11 games.