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A day after upending an umpire with an eight-inning slide, Carlos Beltrán said his sore right knee felt stable enough for him to play.

Carlos Beltrán said he never saw the plate umpire Ed Rapuano until he slid into him while scoring.

Carlos Beltrán he never saw the plate umpire Ed Rapuano until he slid into him while scoring.

A blast by Carlos Beltrán gave the Mets a victory and a two-game lead in the National League East over the second-place Philadelphia Phillies.

Normally, a 13-inning victory that ends a five-game losing streak would be a cause of celebration. But for the Mets, it was more like a consolation prize Wednesday night.

Pointed comments in the locker room after Thursday’s loss added to the uncomfortable questions facing the Mets, who have been playing uninspired baseball.

After more than a month of searching for that natural feeling, Carlos Beltrán, the Mets’ center fielder, is finally finding his comfort zone in the batter’s box.

Carlos Beltrán continued his hot hitting, going 2 for 5 with a two-run homer and three runs batted in, to support Oliver Pérez and give the Mets the victory.

Carlos Beltrán, who entered the day batting .218, went 2 for 3 and drove in five runs, three on a bases-loaded triple that capped the Mets’ four-run sixth.

The Mets failed to score more than one run in a second consecutive game and the team’s inability to hit continues to keep it down.