Mets "monster" Pelfrey steers NY to win

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Carlos Delgado hit a pair of three-run home runs to help the New York Mets rout the Houston Astros 9-1 on Monday and maintain their slender lead in the National League East.

The Mets stayed a half-game ahead of Philadelphia in the division after the Phillies blanked the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-0. The Mets meet the Phillies in a crucial two-game series starting Tuesday in Philadelphia.

Mike Pelfrey (13-8) pitched his second complete game in a row, coming within two outs of a shutout.

"I feel great. I want to help the team," Pelfrey told reporters. "Whenever they give me the ball, I'm going to take it.

"The guys behind me played very good. If I can save the bullpen for a night, that makes it even better."

The Mets, already without closer Billy Wagner, found out before the game that starter John Maine will be out for at least three weeks with a bone spur in his right shoulder.

"He has tremendous, tremendous confidence right now," New York manager Jerry Manuel said.

Delgado launched the Mets into a 3-0 lead with a three-run homer in the first inning before adding another in the seventh.

Brian Moehler (9-5) allowed four runs over 5 1/3 innings and took the loss.

"That's probably as good a performance as I've seen against us this year," Houston manager Cecil Cooper said. "He (Pelfrey) was just a monster tonight."

(Writing by Roger Lajoie in Toronto; Editing by Peter Rutherford)