NEW YORK (AP) -The Mets want this September to end much better than the last one. Carlos Delgado and Johan Santana give them two big reasons to believe it will.

Delgado hit two long homers and drove in four runs, backing a huge win by Santana as New York beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-3 on Sunday night for a doubleheader split.

The NL East leaders salvaged the finale of the three-game series, giving them a two-game edge over second-place Philadelphia. Last season, the Mets blew a seven-game cushion with 17 to play and lost the division crown to the Phillies.

''We think we're as good as anybody. We think we're the team to beat. We think that what happened last year is not going to happen again and we're very confident that we can get this done,'' Delgado said. ''It's definitely a different atmosphere here, a different feeling than what it was last year.''

Still, it was a ''bittersweet'' win, manager Jerry Manuel said, because the Mets got bad news about their suspect bullpen. Injured closer Billy Wagner felt more pain while testing his ailing elbow, throwing to a New York hitter between games in a virtually empty stadium.

Wagner will be re-examined by a doctor Monday and is probably out for the season, Manuel said.

''Good teams are able to overcome injuries,'' Delgado said.

In the opener, Jamie Moyer allowed only two soft singles in seven shutout innings and Greg Dobbs hit a three-run homer off Pedro Martinez , leading the Phillies to a 6-2 victory.

That put the pressure on Santana (13-7), acquired from Minnesota last offseason and signed to a $137.5 million, six-year contract. A win in the nightcap would leave New York atop the division with 19 games to play. A loss would create a first-place tie and stir painful memories of last September's epic collapse.

With plenty of help from Delgado, Santana delivered - on his own bobblehead night. And as Serena Williams played Jelena Jankovic next door for the U.S. Open women's tennis title, the Mets held serve.

''This is definitely one of the reasons why I'm here. I'm up for a challenge,'' Santana said.

Cole Hamels hung an 0-2 breaking ball to Delgado leading off the third and he jumped on it, hitting a 400-foot drive off the bottom of the right-field scoreboard.

Hamels (12-9) tossed his head back in frustration as soon as Delgado connected and soon received a mound visit from bench coach Jimy Williams , running the team after manager Charlie Manuel was ejected in the first inning for arguing a catcher's interference call.

Delgado's 460-foot solo shot in the fifth soared past the second deck of seats in right and beyond New York's bullpen, toward the Shea Stadium parking lot.

''I wasn't able to do my part,'' Hamels said. ''Delgado is a phenomenal player. He's had a great second half. He had unbelievable at-bats against me.''

With the crowd chanting ''MVP! MVP!'' Delgado came out for a curtain call. It was his 48th multihomer game and sixth this season, one short of Dave Kingman 's club record set in 1976.

After a slow start that had fans and talk-show hosts calling for his release, the 36-year-old Delgado leads the majors with 22 homers since June 27. His 65 RBIs during that stretch are tops in the NL.

Delgado, who has 33 homers and 100 RBIs this season, also hit a two-run single in the first. He was cheered after striking out in the seventh.

''It's a lot nicer than the boos, I'll tell you that much,'' said Delgado, who has 464 career homers. ''I'd like to forget the first couple months of the season.''

Ryan Howard 's solo drive in the third cut Philadelphia's deficit to 3-2 and made him the first Phillies player with three straight 40-homer seasons. Howard also had an RBI single in the first.

Santana was pulled after Jayson Werth 's one-out double in the eighth on his 116th pitch. The two-time AL Cy Young Award winner tipped his cap to the crowd of 54,980 and got a warm greeting in the dugout.

Pedro Feliciano retired Howard, and Brian Stokes got Mets nemesis Pat Burrell to ground out on his only pitch. Luis Ayala allowed an unearned run in the ninth but struck out Jimmy Rollins with a runner on to end it.

The Phillies skipped Kyle Kendrick 's turn in the rotation so their ace, Hamels, would get a start on four days' rest in this crucial series - though the 24-year-old lefty didn't exactly demand the ball.

Hamels never looked comfortable, allowing five runs - four earned - and nine hits in five innings. Carlos Beltran had an RBI single in a three-run first, when David Wright reached on catcher's interference against Chris Coste .

Damion Easley hit a leadoff triple in the eighth and scored on Brian Schneider 's sacrifice fly.

In a makeup of Saturday's rainout, the 45-year-old Moyer (13-7) allowed only a surprise bunt single by Robinson Cancel and an infield hit by Easley. New York was scoreless for the first 16 innings of the series before breaking through for two runs in the eighth against Scott Eyre .

Moyer's 243rd win tied him with Hall of Famer Juan Marichal for 50th on the career list.

Martinez (5-4) lasted only four innings, giving up six runs and seven hits.

Charlie Manuel wanted to make sure his team stayed focused for the nightcap. After the first game, he posted a sign in the clubhouse that read: ''No football on any TV after 7:15.''

The Phillies swept a three-game series at Shea Stadium last September, beginning their charge past the fading Mets to win the division title. But Philadelphia couldn't complete the trick this time.

Notes: Philadelphia went 7-11 against the Mets this season after winning the final eight matchups last year. ... Delgado reached 100 RBIs for the ninth time. ... Before the ninth, Mets relievers had not allowed a run in 23 innings since last Sunday.