New York ? Sammy Sosa took a big swing and sent a fly ball soaring to left field. Sure it was home run No. 500, he immediately threw his arms up, took a signature hop and clapped his hands.

“I hit it great,” he said. “Everybody thought it.”

Instead of history and a tying three-run homer, however, the ball was blown back into the park and fell for a harmless out, exactly the kind of break the New York Mets needed Wednesday night in a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

Al Leiter gave the Mets the type of pitching performance they lacked in Tom Glavine’s debut, a 15-2 drubbing in Monday’s opener. Cliff Floyd and Roger Cedeno homered, giving manager Art Howe his first victory in a New York uniform.

“The first one is the toughest,” Howe said.

The Mets won minus All-Star catcher Mike Piazza, who began serving his four-game suspension for charging Los Angeles reliever Guillermo Mota and going into the Dodgers’ clubhouse looking for him in spring training.

The Cubs were trying for their first 2-0 start since 1995, and Sosa nearly gave them a good chance to get it.

Walked his first two times up, Sosa came to bat again in the sixth with runners on first and second, no outs and Chicago trailing 4-1. With fans in the left-center field bleachers standing and a representative from the Hall of Fame ready to collect his bat, Slammin’ Sammy cut loose.

“I put a great swing on that ball,” Sosa said.

Dodgers 5, Diamondbacks 0

Phoenix — Kevin Brown, in a performance that bodes well for Los Angeles, shut down Arizona on three hits in six-plus innings. Shawn Green was 4-for-4 with a home run, two doubles and three RBIs as the Dodgers took two of three in the season-opening series between NL West squads. Both Los Angeles wins were shutouts. Brian Jordan homered for the second time in three games. Elmer Dessens (0-1), in his Arizona debut, allowed four runs on eight hits in five innings.

Cardinals 7, Brewers 0

St. Louis — Woody Williams pitched two-hit ball into the seventh inning, and Mike Matheny had three hits and two RBIs as St. Louis beat Milwaukee. Williams, limited to 17 starts last season by a pulled muscle in his left side, didn’t allow a hit until Eric Young tripled to right with two outs in the sixth. Eduardo Perez just missed on a diving attempt of Young’s slicing drive to the warning track.

Pirates 7, Reds 4

Cincinnati — Kevin Young and Jason Kendall hit two-run homers in the eighth inning, and Pittsburgh kept Cincinnati winless in its new ballpark. Austin Kearns and Ken Griffey Jr. hit the Reds’ first homers in Great American Ball Park as the home team finally cozied up and took its first lead, 5-4.

But it ended the way every other game has at the Reds’ new place — with the home team’s pitchers getting jeered off the field.

Phillies 8, Marlins 2

Miami — Randy Wolf took a one-hitter into the seventh inning, Jim Thome had two more hits and Mike Lieberthal added a bases-loaded triple to lead Philadelphia past Florida. It was pretty similar to Monday’s opener.

Expos 3, Braves 0

Atlanta — Zach Day and three relievers combined on a three-hitter, and Jose Vidro hit a two-run homer to lead Montreal past Atlanta. The Expos, who won’t play in Montreal until April 22, have outscored the Braves 13-2 in the first two games at Turner Field. Atlanta is 0-2 for the first time in six years. Vidro hit a two-run shot in the first inning.

Astros 8, Rockies 7

Houston — Craig Biggio’s two-run single capped a rally from a four-run deficit in the ninth inning, giving Houston a win against Colorado. Jose Jimenez (0-1) replaced Todd Jones with a 7-3 lead and gave up six hits while retiring just one batter. Jeff Bagwell, Lance Berkman and Jeff Kent loaded the bases with singles, and Richard Hidalgo hit a two-run double.

Giants 5, Padres 3

San Diego — Marquis Grissom’s three-run double highlighted a five-run third inning, and San Francisco beat San Diego for a three-game sweep. The Giants are 31-10 against the Padres since the start of the 2001 season and have swept their NL West rivals six times in their last 15 series. Barry Bonds went 0-for-4.