Ray Stubblebine / Reuters

Carlos Beltran of the Mets belts a three-run homer in the seventh inning against the Phillies on Monday.

updated 10:29 a.m. ET May 3, 2005

NEW YORK - A fastball here. A changeup there. Here’s a curve. No, another fastball.

Pedro Martinez sure knows how to use all his pitches.

The New York Mets’ ace threw seven strong innings Monday night and Carlos Beltran hit a tiebreaking, three-run homer in a 5-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.

Beltran’s seventh-inning shot made a winner of Martinez, who limited the Phillies to four hits and was superb after a rain delay of 2 hours, 17 minutes at the start.

Martinez waited out the delay and was hardly disturbed.

“I never stopped moving around,” he said. “I tried to do something to keep me warm.”

Then he did a workmanlike job on the Phillies.

“I’ve seen him dazzle with an array of different pitches,” manager Willie Randolph said. “I’ve seen him improvise. He’s very crafty. He’s smart. He deals with the rhythm of the game.”

The rhythm was fast once it got started. Martinez (3-1) and Jon Lieber don’t waste time on the mound and the Mets led 1-0 into the seventh with Martinez working on a two-hitter. Then Philadelphia tied it on a double by Chase Utley, a single by David Bell and an infield out.

Now it was New York’s turn against reliever Terry Adams (0-1).

With one out, Jose Reyes reached with the third of his four hits. Kaz Matsui walked and Beltran followed with his fourth homer of the season and first at Shea Stadium, a 460-foot shot that hit the right-field scoreboard.

“I was trying to put the ball in play,” Beltran said. “I wanted to make something happen. I got a pitch in the middle of the plate and I was able to drive it. I knew it was gone.”

So did Randolph and Martinez, who celebrated in the dugout.

“It was a good ballgame up until the guy hit the home run,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. “It looked like a high slider. That’s what I saw.”

Beltran’s fourth homer of the season broke a 1-1 tie and rewarded Martinez’s airtight pitching. New York’s Cliff Floyd had two hits to extend his hitting streak to 18 games, the longest run in the majors this season.

Until then, Martinez and Lieber hooked up in a dandy pitcher’s duel.

“I knew going into this game it was going to be tough,” Lieber said. “Pedro is Pedro. He’s a very good pitcher.”

Martinez struck out six and walked two, mixing speeds. Lieber went six innings, allowing one run and six hits with four strikeouts and two walks.

More news

Tony Gutierrez / AP

More heroics from Hamilton

Josh Hamilton fights off illness to hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the 13th inning, lifting the Texas Rangers to an 8-7 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.

Angels win as Pujols HR streak up to 3 games

SEATTLE (AP) - Albert Pujols hit a home run in his third straight game and pinch hitter Alberto Callaspo came through with a grand slam in the sixth inning to give the Los Angeles Angels a 5-3 win over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday.

Headlines

• Label

Saltalamacchia's walkoff HR lifts Red Sox

Red Sox's Valentine calls out Rays' coaches

Teixeira hits 2 HRs as Yankees rout A's

HBT: Santana pitches first shutout in 2 years

Harper homers as Strasburg, Nats beat Braves

Buehrle, Marlins stay hot, beat Giants

Fielder's 4-hit game lifts Tigers over Twins

Fear of losing Montero leads D-backs to big deal