Beltran triple gives Mets win over Reds

Cincinnati Reds’ Ken Griffey Jr and New York Mets catcher Brian Schneider watch his double during the eighth inning of the first game of a baseball doubleheader on Saturday at Shea Stadium in New York. PHOTO: AP

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Carlos Beltran hit a bases-loaded triple and drove in five runs to back Johan Santana’s first home win for the Mets, and New York beat the Cincinnati Reds 12-6 in the first game of a day-night doubleheader Saturday.

Carlos Delgado and Brian Schneider hit New York’s first consecutive homers of the season, helping the Mets score 12 runs for the second consecutive game.

David Wright broke out of a 1-for-13 slump with two hits and three runs.

GIANTS 8, PHILLIES 2

In San Francisco, Tim Lincecum (5-1) struck out eight in eight impressive innings to outpitch 45-year-old Jamie Moyer, and the Giants ended a season-worst five-game skid.

Omar Vizquel had three hits and scored a run in a successful return from the disabled list, Randy Winn hit his first home run of the year and Aaron Rowand connected against his former club for the second time in just more than a week.

Moyer faced a pitcher 22 years his junior for the second straight start. The 23-year-old Lincecum was born on June 7, 1984 — eight days after Moyer signed his first contract.

CUBS 7, DIAMONDBACKS 2

In Chicago, Alfonso Soriano had four hits, including a go-ahead double in a six-run seventh inning, and showed some flair on the bases to help the Cubs beat the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Kosuke Fukudome’s first homer since opening day capped the seventh-inning rally as the Cubs won their second straight against the team that swept them in the first round of the Major League Baseball playoffs last October.

CARDINALS 5, BREWERS 3

In Milwaukee, Ryan Ludwick hit a two-run single with two outs in the ninth inning, and St. Louis’ shaky bullpen held on as the Cardinals snapped a season-long three-game skid.

Prince Fielder hit a tying homer in the eighth for Milwaukee, and Ben Sheets set a franchise record for strikeouts with 1,086. Still, the slumping Brewers lost for the seventh time in eight games as Eric Gagne (1-2) took the loss.

Russ Springer (1-0) earned the win and Ryan Franklin, who took over the closer’s role on Saturday from struggling Jason Isringhausen, got three outs for his third career save and second this year.

PADRES 3, ROCKIES 2

San Diego hurler Greg Maddux became the ninth pitcher in Major League Baseball history to reach 350 wins on Saturday as the Padres beat the Colorado Rockies 3-2.

A four-time National League Cy Young Award winner, Maddux allowed an unearned run and three hits with no walks and one strikeout over six innings.

The future Hall of Famer’s only blemish on the night came in the sixth. Willy Taveras laid down a bunt, and 17-time Gold Glove winner Maddux skipped his throw to first into right field.

Taveras to third on the play and scored on Omar Quintanilla’s groundout.

“He is a master craftsman and he’s going to go into the Hall of Fame,” Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said of Maddux. “He stayed away from the barrel, he changed speeds, and he got outs. He was very effective.”

The 42-year-old hurler needed five attempts to join Cy Young, Walter Johnson, Pete Alexander, Christy Mathewson, Pud Galvin, Warren Spahn, Kid Nichols and Roger Clemens in the exclusive 350-win club.

Clemens just above him on the wins list with 354.

In his first bid for No. 350, Maddux was hammered for nine runs and 13 hits in seven innings of a 9-0 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 18.

On April 23, Maddux tossed seven scoreless innings but did not get a decision as the Padres suffered a 3-2 defeat to the San Francisco Giants.

On April 30 he allowed four runs and seven hits in 6-and-one-third innings of a 7-4 setback at Philadelphia. The future Hall of Famer then was roughed up in last Sunday’s 10-3 loss to the Florida Marlins, relinquishing five runs — four earned — and 11 hits.

Maddux a major league record by winning at least 15 games in 17 consecutive seasons from 1988 through 2004. He was the winningest pitcher in the major leagues in the 1990s.