Mets leave Yankees at a loss

NEW YORK -- With the bunt sign on, Endy Chavez took a ball from Andy Pettitte. Then manager Willie Randolph signaled for Chavez to swing away, and the light-hitting New York Mets outfielder connected for his first home run of the year.

It's been that kind of season for the Mets -- and Yankees.

Chavez's go-ahead, two-run homer in the fifth inning led the Mets to a 3-2 victory last night at Shea Stadium in this year's Subway Series opener and dropped their crosstown rival 10 games back in the American League East for the first time in the Joe Torre era.

"I had a feeling about the situation," Randolph said.

Chavez also threw out Johnny Damon trying to stretch a game-opening hit to left into a double, and the Yankees' sputtering offense rarely threatened after that.

Oliver Perez (5-3) limited the Yankees to Hideki Matsui's two-run homer in the fourth, another stellar start in a remarkable turnaround for a pitcher who went 3-13 in the regular season last year. After Matsui's homer, the Yankees didn't get a runner past first base.

"I know it means a lot to a lot of people," Chavez said. "I think they take it personal. It's special because it's like fighting for the city."

It's been a reversal of fortune for both teams in the Big Apple this season.

Coming off their first NL East title since 1988, the Mets (27-14) opened a two-game lead over second-place Atlanta. The Yankees (18-22), who have won nine straight AL East titles, fell 10 games behind division-leading Boston. The Yankees had not trailed by double digits in the division since they trailed the Red Sox by 10 games after play Sept. 22, 1995, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

"I guess if you're here long enough, that stuff is going to happen to you," said Torre, who became the Yankees' manager after the 1995 season. "We still need to just get our house in order without worrying about who we're chasing at this point in time."

The Yankees dropped to 3-8 when the opponent starts a lefthander and have lost six of eight overall. After this series, they host the Red Sox for three games.

"This team is just as capable of reeling off 15 straight wins," said Jason Giambi, who ended the game when he pinch hit in the ninth and struck out against Billy Wagner with a runner on first.

The Yankees, whose 26 World Series titles dwarf the Mets' two, entered with a 32-22 advantage over their Queens foe in interleague play, and they beat the Mets in five games in the 2000 World Series. The Mets' record is 8 1/2 games better than that of the Yankees -- before this year, the biggest margin the Mets had held since interleague play began was 3 1/2 games in July 2000, according to Elias.

In the high-intensity cauldron of the Subway Series, Perez kept his cool on a 52-degree night, giving up five hits in 7 2/3 innings, striking out five and walking two.

"They hit me hard but on the ground," he said.

When he was replaced by Joe Smith with none on after striking out pinch hitter Bobby Abreu and Damon, Perez made an emphatic leap over the first-base line, then tipped his cap to the boisterous sellout crowd of 56,337.

Smith threw a called third strike past Derek Jeter that left the Yankees' captain discussing the pitch with plate umpire Greg Gibson, and Wagner finished to remain perfect in 10 save chances.