BlackAmericans.com

Mets closer Billy Wagner, who questioned his teammates’ accountability on Thursday, was relieved to be talking about his pitching instead of his critical remarks on Saturday.

In his last three starts, Andy Pettitte has started strongly before falling apart in the fourth, setting the table for a Yankees defeat.

One win will not erase the uncertainty about Willie Randolph’s future, but it will give Randolph and his Mets a slight reprieve.

Pitching into the eighth, Johan Santana held the Yankees at bay long enough for the Mets to build a lead, and they held on to win on Saturday.

Last May, Darrell Rasner started against the Mets only to break his finger when he was struck by a batted ball. On Friday, the rain denied him an opportunity at an encore.

For the fourth consecutive game, a Rays starter yet to celebrate a 27th birthday stymied the Yankees, and with Thursday’s loss New York dropped to last in the A.L. East.

Scott Kazmir sparkled in his first start since agreeing to a $28.5 million contract extension, and the surprising Tampa Bay Rays dropped the Yankees into last place.

The Yankees offense, which has scored only four runs in three games, did what it had to do to help Mike Mussina to a win in the fifth start in a row.

The more the Yankees lose, and the more impatient Hank Steinbrenner gets, the more speculation General Manager Brian Cashman faces on his future.

Hank Steinbrenner expects his struggling Yankees, who are 19-21 and fourth in the A.L. East following a pair of losses to Tampa Bay, to focus and turn around their season.