Andy Pettitte just threw his first warmup pitch wide. Mariano Rivera’s up in the bullpen.

Just kidding.

But seriously, Luis Castillo just got a big hand from the Yankee Stadium crowd. Of course he did. You always thank the one who comes bearing gifts.

Hey! Castillo just fielded Mark Teixeira’s grounder cleanly and threw him out to end the first. Things are looking up!

UPDATE: Omir Santos put the Mets up 2-0 in the second with his fourth homer of the year, a liner just over the left field wall.

UPDATE: A-Rod just put the Yanks on the board with a homer, his ninth, that barely cleared the left field wall. Rain’s getting a little heavier now in the second inning. Castillo made a nice, reaching grab on Matsui’s liner to end the second.

UPDATE: Looks like they may have found something in Fernando Nieve. He’s looked steady through four, allowing just a homer and a walk to A-Rod. Works fast and keeps the hitters off-balance with a combination of a good fastball and slider. Unless he falls apart over the next inning or two, he’s earned himself a second start in place of John Maine as far as I’m concerned.

UPDATE: Gary Sheffield lined an RBI single to right off Pettitte, who’s had a labored afternoon. He’d already given up a fifth-inning leadoff single to Beltran and a lined double past Rodriguez by David Wright. Aceves is up in the pen as Mets hold a 3-1 lead with first and third, none out. Wright scores from third on Tatis’ forceout at second. 4-1 Mets. They get another as Omir Santos blasts an RBI double off the wall in right. 5-1 Mets. Inning ends as Santos gets caught in a rundown on Martinez’ grounder to deep third.

UPDATE: Nieve just pitched his way out of a first-and-third, two-out situation by getting Jeter to ground to short to end the fifth. Nicely done. Now in the top of the sixth and Pettitte is done, making way for Aceves. Five earned runs, 12 hits, a walk, three strikeouts and a homer.

UPDATE: Tatis just made two plays, snagging Johnny Damon’s broken-bat liner and diving for Mark Teixeira’s hard grounder toward the hole. Nieve just hit Rodriguez with a pitch, though. He strikes out Cano to make it through six. Jerry Manuel has to be delighted right now.

UPDATE: Sheffield put the Mets up 6-1 on his seventh homer, Aceves pitching. Ryan Church doubled to right. Jose Veras is up in the Yankees’ pen.

UPDATE: Nieve gave up two-out singles to Cabrera and Gardner in the seventh and is done with men on first and third. Sean Green’s in. Can’t fault the kid’s performance, though. Only four hits and two walks. Jeter’s infield single to Castillo, barely safe, scores Cabrera. 6-2 Mets.

UPDATE: Aceves out, Veras in. Castillo legged out a hit on a slow roller to second. He goes to third on Beltran’s single as Gardner slipped in center and the ball falls in. Wright grounds out to end the eighth.

UPDATE: Yanks’ last ups. Green’s out, and Rodriguez is in in a non-save situation. Posada skies to left. Matsui strikes out. Cabrera grounds out. That’s it. 6-2 Mets.