NEW YORK (1010 WINS/AP)  -- These are trying times for Jason Giambi, apparently not even lucky underwear can help his undersized batting average.

The New York Yankees' first baseman caused a bit of a stir Saturday when the Daily News reported, on the front page, no less, that he often wears a gold thong under his uniform pants when trying to snap out of a slump.

1010 WINS Audio: Kathleen Maloney reports

"I was blown away," Yankees broadcaster and former big league pitcher David Cone said with a smile. "You've got to be pretty confident in yourself to let that one out."

Giambi, who began the day batting .181, has kept the shiny thong in his locker since he played for the Oakland Athletics. Several teammates acknowledged they've tried wearing it, too, including Yankees captain Derek Jeter and outfielder Johnny Damon.

Before Saturday's Subway Series game against the New York Mets, a sign on right-hander Mike Mussina's locker read: "Pitchers need thongs too."

"Whatever works, man," Mets right fielder Ryan Church deadpanned.

Strange superstitions are nothing new in baseball. Hall of Famer Wade Boggs ate chicken before every game. Nomar Garciaparra fidgets with his batting gloves after each pitch and sidles down the dugout steps two feet at a time.

"Giambi's a little freaky," said Mets manager Willie Randolph, a former Yankees coach. "I wouldn't go there."

Church said if any of his Mets teammates have a favorite slump-buster, he doesn't know about it.

"Most guys keep it to themselves," he said.

For the game, maybe it worked... sort of.  Giambi was 2 for 4 with a homerun and a single.

Johan Santana gave the New York Yankees a firsthand look at the legitimate ace they turned down last winter.

The two-time Cy Young Award winner pitched efficiently into the eighth inning, and the Mets got home runs from Jose Reyes and David Wright to top the Yankees 7-4 Saturday in the opener of a rain-shortened Subway Series.

Billy Wagner got four outs for his ninth save in nine chances _ one day after manager Willie Randolph held a closed-door meeting in response to remarks by the closer that some perceived as critical of his teammates.

After clearing the air, the Mets clocked reliever Kyle Farnsworth. They got key throws from outfielders Ryan Church and Carlos Beltran, beating Andy Pettitte (3-5) after Friday night's scheduled game was rained out.

Wright and Beltran each had three hits for the Mets.

Santana (5-2) started them off on the right track. He gave up three more homers but lasted 7 2-3 innings, his longest outing this year.

The Yankees initially pursued the left-hander in the offseason, then decided to keep their top young pitchers rather than trade them to Minnesota. Santana was dealt to the Mets for four prospects instead, and the Yankees have yet to get a win from youngsters Phil Hughes or Ian Kennedy this season.

Derek Jeter, Jason Giambi and Bobby Abreu homered, but little else went right for the Yankees. Jeter even lost a popup in the sun, soon after he was thrown out trying to stretch a single.

Santana recovered from a shaky start, snaring Giambi's leadoff liner in the fourth with reflexes that would rival those of any NHL goalie. He won his fourth straight decision and improved to 4-0 in his regular-season career against the Yankees.

Pettitte (3-5) allowed three runs in six innings, falling to 0-4 in his last five starts.

The Yankees put two on in the ninth, but Wagner set down the next three hitters.

Santana walked his first batter, Johnny Damon. One out later, Jeter hit his second home run of the season.

The Yankees had a great chance to expand their lead in the third, but ran themselves out of a potential big inning. Damon hit a leadoff single and was curiously waved around third base by coach Bobby Meacham when Abreu followed with a double to right-center.

The ball was cut off nicely by Church, and the relay throw from second baseman Luis Castillo nailed Damon on a close play when Brian Schneider blocked the plate perfectly with his left foot.

Santana escaped unscathed, retiring his next nine batters on 17 pitches. The Mets fought back in the fourth, when Pettitte walked two.

Consecutive singles by Church, Wright and Beltran made it 2-1. With two outs, Schneider drew a bases-loaded walk and Castillo dribbled an RBI infield single up the third-base line to put the Mets ahead.

Reyes homered leading off the seventh against Farnsworth and clapped his hands emphatically as he rounded first. After Church walked, Wright hit his eighth homer, an opposite-field shot that made it 6-2.

Both homers came on 2-2 pitches, and Farnsworth was booed by Yankees fans in the crowd of 55,093 as he walked off the mound. He has served up six home runs in 20 innings this year.

Giambi homered on an 0-2 pitch from Santana leading off the seventh, and Abreu added a solo shot in the eighth. Santana has allowed 11 homers in nine starts for the Mets after giving up an AL-high 33 with Minnesota last year.

Beltran tripled off Joba Chamberlain in the ninth and scored on Carlos Delgado's two-out single.

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