HOUSTON — Carlos Beltran’s return to Minute Maid Park went well, as the center fielder hit his second homer of the season and followed that with a running catch in left-center in the eighth with the bases loaded.
“This was a good day for me,” Beltran said. “I got results, but I still feel I’m fighting. I would love to feel relaxed but I haven’t got to that point yet.”
Beltran, who played for the Astros in 2004, was booed by the Houston crowd.
“The first year I was offended,” Beltran said. “Now, I just have to laugh.”
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Ike Davis looks more every day like he’s in a platoon.
The rookie didn’t start last night against another lefty, Houston’s Wandy Rodriguez.
“It’s a lefty/righty matchup now,” Davis said. “I just play when they tell me to play.”
Lately, that’s been a lot less than earlier in the season and he was replaced at first base by Mike Hessman, who’s hitting .148.
“Obviously, I want to play every day, but I’m not a coach or the manager and not in the position to make those calls,” said the slumping Davis, who was intentionally walked as a pinch-hitter in the ninth. “They’ve gotta do what they feel is right.”
Manager Jerry Manuel said Davis would not just face right-handers the rest of the way.
“He will [play against lefties],” Manuel said. “You have to be careful when you make that choice for him when he’s going down the path of not having success. With a young player, if they’re in a downward spiral, you want to stop that as soon as you can.”
Davis insisted his confidence has not been shaken.
“I just have to keep grinding,” Davis said. “I’m still in the big leagues. It’s my first year. It would be different if I was a veteran. Then I’d have a reason to be upset. They don’t have to tell me anything.”
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The Mets signed first-round pick Matt Harvey, a right-handed pitcher from North Carolina, to a deal worth just over $2.5 million. The team had until midnight to sign the seventh overall pick, who is a Scott Boras client.
David Wright had three hits, his first multi-hit game of the month.
Rod Barajas could return to the team as early as today, even though he hasn’t caught a full game in his rehab from an oblique injury that has sidelined him since July 25.
