HOUSTON – Losing four straight games is bad enough, but the reeling Mets lost two more players yesterday – Paul Lo Duca and Carlos Gomez.

Lo Duca dropped the appeal of his two-game suspension for a blowup on June 23, and Gomez was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a fractured bone in his left hand. The outfielder flew to New York yesterday morning for a diagnosis and was scheduled for surgery last night that will keep him out six to eight weeks.

The timing of Lo Duca’s decision seemed curious, especially with his club on a four-game losing streak before last night’s 6-2 victory over the Astros. Willie Randolph and assistant GM John Ricco talked to the catcher on Tuesday to drop the appeal for the first two games of the series here.

“It’s his call, but obviously we communicate with him and talk about different scenarios,” Ricco said. “There’s no persuasion.”

Lo Duca was scheduled to plead his case today, and the Mets were worried he wouldn’t get a reduction and would have to serve the suspension tomorrow and Sunday. They didn’t want him to have a five-game layoff, including the All-Star break.

Gomez was replaced by David Newhan on the roster. Newhan flew in from Des Moines and was expected to arrive at game time. Gomez broke the hook of his hamate bone on a check swing during Wednesday night’s game, but flew to Houston with his teammates before heading to New York in the morning.

“It was bothering him. He was in pain,” Randolph said.