Wright’s Big Hit Lifts the Mets, 7-6

David Wright turned around Mariano Rivera’s cutter, and Johnny Damon turned and ran toward the center-field wall. He never caught up.

Wright’s run-scoring single with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning capped a comeback from a four-run deficit against Randy Johnson and gave the Mets a 7-6 victory over the Yankees on Friday night in the season’s first Subway Series game.

“There’s nothing better,” Wright said. “New York’s the greatest baseball stage.”

Carlos Beltran hit a three-run homer in the first and Xavier Nady hit a two-run drive in the third against Johnson, tying the score, 5-5. That charged up the sellout crowd of 56,289 at Shea Stadium.

“Not too many guys do that against Mariano,” Mets Manager Willie Randolph said. “He’s the best.”

Johnson gave up six runs and eight hits in five innings, and the earned-run average of the 42-year-old left-hander is up to 5.62.

“I’m not too old. My stuff’s not that bad. I’m not dominating right now. It’s a very humbling game,” he said.

“I’m making the wrong pitch at the wrong time.”

He has given up four runs or more in five consecutive starts for the first time in his major league career, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

“Each Randy start, I get more concerned,” said Yankees Manager Joe Torre, who thinks bad outings are weighing on Johnson.

In a game where Mets starter Jeremi Gonzalez got only nine outs, Darren Oliver, Aaron Heilman and Billy Wagner (3-0) combined for six innings of shutout, two-hit relief.

They retired the Yankees’ final 16 batters -- striking out eight. Wagner struck out Jason Giambi, Alex Rodriguez and Kelly Stinnett in the ninth.

“You just feel like the momentum was shifting,” Wright said.

Colorado 8, Toronto 3 -- Clint Barmes drove in four runs and Jamey Carroll ended the majors’ second-longest active homerless streak, lifting the Rockies past the Blue Jays at Denver.

Carroll, in his first year with Colorado after being dealt from Washington in the off-season, had gone 663 at-bats -- second to Jason Kendall’s 919 entering Friday’s games -- without a homer before he curled a solo shot against Francisco Rosario inside the foul pole in left in the sixth inning. It was his first homer since Aug. 1, 2003, against Milwaukee’s Wayne Franklin, and the third of his career.

Seattle 7, San Diego 4 -- Jose Lopez doubled in the go-ahead run in the seventh and homered, Kenji Johjima and Richie Sexson also went deep, and the Mariners defeated the Padres at Seattle.

Mike Piazza and Josh Bard homered for the Padres, who lost for only the fourth time in 18 games in May.

Minnesota 7, Milwaukee 1 -- Tony Batista hit a grand slam, and Francisco Liriano (2-0) pitched five innings in his first start of the season to help the Twins end a five-game losing streak at Milwaukee.

St. Louis 9, Kansas City 6 -- Albert Pujols hit a two-run homer and the Cardinals overcame a five-run deficit in a victory over the reeling Royals at Kansas City, Mo.

Houston 5, Texas 3 -- Adam Everett hit a two-out, three-run double in the eighth inning at Houston to lift the Astros over the Rangers.

Cleveland 4, Pittsburgh 1 -- C.C. Sabathia (3-1) pitched a three-hitter and Grady Sizemore hit his third homer in four games to lead the Indians past the Pirates at Cleveland.

Cincinnati 9, Detroit 4 -- Brandon Phillips drove in four runs, Adam Dunn and Rich Aurilia homered, and the Reds ended the Tigers’ seven-game winning streak at Detroit.

Boston 5, Philadelphia 3 -- Mike Lowell, David Ortiz and Jason Varitek homered at Philadelphia to lead the Red Sox to their ninth victory in 12 games.

Baltimore 5, Washington 1 -- Kris Benson (6-3) gave up only one run in his sixth career complete game, and the Orioles defeated the Nationals at Washington in the first regular-season major league game between the teams from the two cities since 1971.

Tampa Bay 5, Florida 4 -- Toby Hall homered in the ninth to get the Devil Rays to extra innings, and Aubrey Huff’s solo shot in the 10th lifted Tampa Bay over the Marlins at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Chicago White Sox 6, Chicago Cubs 1 -- Mark Buehrle (5-2) pitched a two-hitter, Paul Konerko knocked in three runs and Jim Thome hit his 17th homer to send the White Sox past the Cubs at U.S. Cellular Field.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Arizona 10, Atlanta 6 -- Shawn Green doubled in the tying run in the ninth inning and Craig Counsell singled home the game-winner, and the Diamondbacks defeated the Braves at Phoenix.

The Diamondbacks’ final rally nullified a big game by Atlanta’s Adam LaRoche, who hit a grand slam and singled home the go-ahead run in the ninth.