PORT ST. LUCIE –- A 15-game winner last year, John Maine looked like he was in midseason form today against the Astros. The right-hander threw four hitless, scoreless innings at Tradition Field, striking out three along the way in his second consecutive strong start. Maine was pulled after his scheduled four-inning limit with the Mets leading 2-0.

The closest the Astros came to a run off Maine was in the second, when David Newhan reach on a walk, stole second off Ramon Castro and advanced to third on a wild pitch with one out. But Maine escaped from the jam with consecutive strikeouts of Reggie Abercrombie and Nick Gorneault.