Bronx, NY (Sports Network) - Johan Santana pitched 7 2/3 strong innings, survived three Yankees home runs, and the New York Mets held on for a 7-4 win in the opener of a rain-shortened "Subway Series" at Yankee Stadium.

Friday's game between the clubs was postponed due to rain, allowing the Yankees to start Andy Pettitte against the Mets ace. Santana (5-2) got the best of the matchup, however, holding the Yankees to four runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and two walks.

David Wright went 3-for-5 with a two-run homer, and Jose Reyes also homered for the Mets, who had dropped three of four entering play. Billy Wagner came on and got the last four outs, surviving a two-on, no-outs situation in the ninth to pick up his ninth save.

"We needed a win," Wright said.

Derek Jeter went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer for the Yankees, who have dropped four of five to fall three games under .500. Jason Giambi and Bobby Abreu also homered for the Bronx Bombers.

Pettitte (3-5) was touched for three runs on seven hits in six innings, fanning seven and walking two.

"I just want to win a game and help this team win a game," Pettitte said. "If I don't to that I won't be happy. Just looking for wins."

Leading 3-2, the Mets pulled away with two roundtrippers in the seventh, both off Yanks reliever Kyle Farnsworth. Reyes ripped a leadoff homer to right and, after Ryan Church worked a walk, Wright blasted an opposite field shot. Wright's two-run blast to right boosted the Mets to a 6-2 lead.

Giambi cut the deficit to three with his leadoff homer in the home half, and then Abreu got to the Mets ace with another solo homer in the eighth, cutting the Mets edge to 6-4. Jeter followed that shot to center with a double to right, ending Santana's day.

Mets manager Willie Randolph went to Wagner an out earlier than usual, and the left-handed closer promptly stranded Jeter in scoring position by getting Hideki Matsui to ground out to second.

The Mets were able to pick up an insurance run off of Joba Chamberlain in the ninth. Carlos Beltran tripled in the gap in left-center with one out, and Carlos Delgado fought off a single to right with two outs, pushing the Mets back ahead by three runs.

The Yanks made some noise against Wagner in the bottom of the ninth. Giambi led off with a single to left, and Robinson Cano shattered his bat on a one- hopper to third that Wright couldn't come up with, bringing the tying run to the plate.

The veteran lefty bore down, however, as Wagner got Melky Cabrera to fly out to right, and pinch-hitter Shelley Duncan to pop out foul to the catcher. Pinch-hitter Morgan Ensberg then struck out, sealing the win for the Mets.

Santana pitched well, but, as is his track record, was victimized by the long ball. Jeter got to him in the first, making Johnny Damon's leadoff walk count by belting a pitch out to left for a 2-0 Yankees lead.

Pettitte cruised through three innings, but ran into trouble in the fourth. Church and Wright laced consecutive singles to center, and Beltran plated Church with his single to left. Moises Alou then walked, loading the bases, but Delgado popped out to short and Damion Easley fanned.

Brian Schneider worked a two-out walk off Pettitte, however, forcing in the tying run, and Luis Castillo's swinging bunt, which died on the fair side of the chalk down the third-base line, scored Beltran to give the Mets a 3-2 lead.

Reyes then popped out to short, leaving the bases loaded and ending the threat.