NEW YORK (Reuters) - Rookie Ike Davis hit his first Major League home run and Japan's Hisanori Takahashi posted his first victory to spark the New York Mets to a 5-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Friday.
The win was the fourth in five games for the Mets, who are trying to escape the National League East cellar. They trail the Braves by a half-game for the bottom spot.
Davis, the Mets' first baseman, leveled the score at 1-1 with his fifth inning homer to right-center field, and the Mets scored twice in the sixth to break the tie.
Takahashi (1-1) gained the win in emergency relief of Mets starter John Maine, who left the game in the fourth inning with spasms in his left, non-pitching, elbow.
"It's frustrating, it just locked up, I couldn't use it," Maine told reporters. "You're basically using one arm. You can't give 100 percent effort."
Takahashi struck out seven in three innings while giving up two hits and a run. He also had his first Major League hit, a single in the fifth.
"I don't have much to say about it," Takahashi said through an interpreter. "But I like to start games."
The Mets also benefited from manager Jerry Manuel's decision to move Jose Reyes from the leadoff batting position to third in the order. He contributed a double and a triple and scored a run.
Talented Atlanta rookie Jason Heyward struck out three times.
"Not one of our better efforts," said Braves third baseman Chipper Jones, who was charged with two of the Braves' four errors on missed pop-ups.
(Reporting by Gene Cherry in Raleigh, North Carolina. Editing by Patrick Johnston)
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