01:00 AM EDT on Wednesday, June 28, 2006

BOSTON -- Don't look now, but Alex Gonzalez, the previously maligned weak-hitting number-nine hitter in the Red Sox' lineup, has the same batting average as David Ortiz.

That's what the statistics say after Boston's 9-4 romp over the National League East-leading New York Mets last night at Fenway Park.

Gonzalez had a homer and a double in a 2-for-4 effort, his fourth multiple-hit game in his current six-game streak, boosting his average to .267. Ortiz went 1 for 3, inching his average up to .267.

Of course, no one is going to remotely suggest that Gonzalez is as good a hitter as Ortiz. But even at .220, Gonzalez is a valuable player in the Red Sox' lineup because of Gold Glove defense. Last night he played errorless ball for the 54th game in a row, extending his club record.

At .267, he's giving the Sox an unexpected offensive bonus.

Playing with fire There was no reason for third-base coach Manny Acta to send speedy shortstop Jose Reyes, the Mets' catalyst, on Carlos Beltran's line-drive single to left in the fifth inning.

His poor decision not only wound up blunting a budding rally when the Mets had a chance to narrow what was a measly three-run deficit at the time, but it also came close to costing New York its sparkplug at the top of the order on a collision at the plate that should never have happened.

Reyes, batting .302 with 98 hits and 34 stolen bases, was on second and Paul Lo Duca was on first when Beltran ripped his one-out single. The ball got to Manny Ramirez as Reyes touched the third-base bag.

Acta waved home Reyes, even though the Mets were trailing, 5-2; Boston starter Jon Lester was struggling, and cleanup hitter Carlos Delgado, who earlier had homered, was up next.

The ball got to Boston catcher Jason Varitek on one high hop, two steps before Reyes got to the plate. Reyes, a 6-foot, 160-pounder, threw his left shoulder into Varitek, a rock-solid 6-foot-2, 230 pounder.

Varitek tagged him out, and Reyes crumpled to the dirt at home plate, holding his left shoulder. He was attended to by the Mets' training staff, limping a bit and moving his left shoulder gingerly after getting up and heading to New York's dugout.

The Mets, who should have had the bases loaded and one out with Delgado up, wound up not scoring in the inning. And by the time they batted in the sixth, their 5-2 deficit had grown into an 8-3 chasm.

Fortunately for the Mets, and for Acta, Reyes was able to remain in the game.

Inauspicious start Beltran seemed to be in a bit of a fog in the early going.

In the first inning, after drawing a two-out walk, Beltran fell asleep at first base and was picked off by Lester, the Sox' rookie left-hander. He barely reacted to Lester's pickoff move until the throw was in the mitt of first baseman Kevin Youkilis.

Beltran had no place to go and was tagged out.

Then, on the first Red Sox batter of the game in the bottom of the inning, Beltran, the Mets' center fielder, turned one way and then another in trying to track a fly ball hit by Youkilis in the tough early evening sky.

Beltran gave up on the ball, which landed on the warning track and short-hopped the wall for a double, fueling Boston's two-run inning.

But Beltran woke up quickly.

In the fourth, Beltran was able to turn an easy night for Lester into a sudden struggle. Beltran fell behind in the count at 0 and 2, but eventually worked a 12-pitch walk on a 3-and-2 pitch with a runner at first and none out.

The at-bat seemed to take a lot out of Lester. He labored the rest of the inning, throwing a total of 40 pitches, the same number he threw over the first three innings, and struggled the rest of the game.

By the end of the night Beltran had gone 2 for 2, including a solo homer to center, with a pair of walks.

A rookie mistake Left field at Fenway Park has been known to humble even solid veteran outfielders because of the wall and the swirling winds.

For inexperienced left fielders, meanwhile, it can be a downright horror show. Washington's Alfonso Soriano, a converted second baseman, looked lost on several plays out there. But he looked steady compared to Mets rookie Lastings Milledge on a play in the fourth.

With two on and two out, Manny Ramirez lofted a towering fly ball to left. Milledge went back to the warning track, did a little dance complete with a pirouette, and lunged awkwardly, falling to the dirt as the ball bounced a few feet to his left.

The play was ruled a double, with two runs scoring for a 5-2 Boston advantage.

skrasner@projo.com / (401) 277-7340