Pedro Martinez could be joining the Mets just in time to make a final pennant push. John Maine has been the ace that has helped keep New York in the race.

Carlos Delgado hit a three-run homer and Mr. Maine handcuffed the Braves over seven innings Friday night, and the NL East-leading Mets snapped a five-game losing streak with a 7-1 victory at Atlanta.

The Mets, who had lost four straight to division rival Philadelphia, remained two games ahead in the East after the Phillies beat Florida 9-2. The Braves are 5½ games back in third.

The only run Mr. Maine (14-8) gave up came in the sixth, when he loaded the bases and Pete Orr scored on a wild pitch. Mr. Maine went on to strike out eight and walk three, and won for only the second time in his last six starts.

Mets manager Willie Randolph said Mr. Maine showed new maturity with his ability to pitch through the sixth-inning jam.
“He’s getting better and better in crucial situations,” Mr. Randolph said.

Added New York’s David Wright: “He was lights-out today.”

Jose Reyes also homered for the Mets, who had losing months in June and July but finished 15-13 in August. They also won for only the third time in seven games in Atlanta this season.

“There’s no panic,” Mr. Wright said. “Everybody is calm in here. … People say this is a must-win game and all that. We’re the ones in the driver’s seat. We have to remember that.”

Mr. Maine’s strong outing came after Martinez threw well in a bullpen session before the game. Mr. Martinez had surgery Oct. 5 to repair a torn rotator cuff and hasn’t pitched in the major leagues in almost a year, but he may start Monday in Cincinnati.

Braves Pitcher Tim Hudson (15-7) was 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA in his first two starts against New York this season, but surrendered six hits and four runs in six innings. He had allowed only five homers in his first 28 starts before giving up the homers to Messrs. Delgado and Reyes.

Mr. Hudson recorded two outs before finding trouble in the fourth when Carlos Beltran and Moises Alou reached on singles. Mr. Delgado crushed a pitch over the middle of the plate for a homer to center, his 20th of the season, to give the Mets a 3-0 lead.

“The cutter to Delgado stayed pretty straight,” Mr. Hudson said.

Mr. Delgado’s response when told of Mr. Hudson’s comment: “Why does every time I hit a home run it have to be a cutter that doesn’t cut?”

Mr. Hudson again had two outs in the fifth before Mr. Reyes lined a homer about 15 rows deep in the right-field seats. The Mets went on to score three more runs in the ninth.<

Meanwhile, the Devil Rays beat the Yankees as Carlos Pena homered twice and Andy Sonnanstine pitched eight innings of two-hit ball, stopping host New York’s three-game winning streak.
Carl Crawford capped a huge month with two run-scoring hits, and the surging Devil Rays roughed up an ineffective Phil Hughes (2-3) to win for the seventh time in eight games. Pena also drew three walks and had his second multihomer game in six days.

Alex Rodriguez had an RBI single in the fourth against Mr. Sonnanstine (4-9). After that, the rookie right-hander retired his final 14 batters.<