MLB: McCann, Kawakami lead Braves to win over Mets

NEW YORK — Kenshin Kawakami is getting used to taking on the best pitcher opposing teams can offer. Roy Halladay, Clayton Kershaw, Johan Santana — stack 'em up for a 34-year-old rookie who sure doesn't get intimidated very easily.

Kawakami outpitched Santana over seven stellar innings Thursday night, and Brian McCann hit a solo homer to help the Atlanta Braves claw further into playoff contention with a 3-2 victory over the scuffling New York Mets.

"He does it every time he faces a team's ace," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "No matter what, we have a chance to win when he toes the rubber."

Kawakami (6-9) earned a reputation for pitching in big spots while winning 112 games for Chunichi in Japan's Central League. He's been nearly as good since joining the Braves this season, allowing three runs or fewer in 17 of his past 19 starts.

The right-hander left the bases loaded in the first and allowed one run and seven hits, earning his first victory since July 8 — even though he again got very little support.

"He's just been dynamite," McCann said. "It's been fun to watch him grow."

Omar Infante and former Mets outfielder Ryan Church also drove in runs for the Braves (64-57), who are four games out of the NL wild-card race. They've won nine of 12 entering a critical three-game series against fellow playoff contender Florida.

Peter Moylan gave up an RBI single to Omir Santos in the eighth that made it 3-2, before getting Anderson Hernandez to ground out and leave two runners aboard.

Rafael Soriano worked around a two-out single in the ninth for his 18th save.

"I'm aware (Santana) is one of the best pitchers over here," Kawakami said through a translator, "so I do look at it like a challenge."

The Mets' star left-hander breezed through two perfect innings to start the game before back-to-back doubles by Adam LaRoche and Infante helped Atlanta take a 2-0 lead. Santana (13-9) ended up allowing nine hits and three runs in seven erratic innings.

Dominant against just about everyone else, he's 1-5 in eight tries against Atlanta.

"Overall, I thought I had good stuff," Santana said. "I was just trying to do my job."