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The Mets salvaged the finale of their interleague series in Toronto, holding on for a 6-5 win when former Blue Jays closer Frank Francisco struck out three straight batters in the ninth after allowing a leadoff walk to Yunel Escobar, then single by Jose Bautista through the barren right side of the infield.

Monday's news reports:

• Miguel Batista landed on the DL on Sunday morning with a strained oblique or lower-back muscle. Jeremy Hefner is likely to start Thursday's game against the San Diego Padres at Citi Field in that rotation slot. Chris Schwinden was promoted for Sunday's game as a hedge against Dillon Gee having a short outing, but was not needed. The Mets plan to make another roster move before Monday's series opener in Pittsburgh to add a position player. Vinny Rottino -- who had a three-homer game for Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday -- would appear a logical choice to return to the major league roster. Schwinden is the easiest to return to Buffalo. Manny Acosta would be an alternative, but seemingly less likely choice to get dismissed to free the roster spot.

• Terry Collins for the first time Sunday morning allowed for the possibility of Ike Davis getting sent to the minors if his performance does not show improvement on this trip. Despite a seeming roster crunch looming with Ruben Tejada slated to begin rehab games as soon as today and Jason Bay due to take batting practice in Pittsburgh for the first time this afternoon, there are demotion candidates. Davis is one. And Kirk Nieuwenhuis' production considerably has slowed since the rookie's torrid start.

The added benefit of Nieuwenhuis returning to the minors is it could delay his free agency a year. If Nieuwenhuis were to stay at the major league level continuously, he would be eligible for free agency after his sixth season, during the 2017-18 offseason. If he logs a total of 20 days in the minors this year, he would not get credit for a full major league season in 2012 and would be delayed in free agency at least until the following winter -- 2018-19. Read more in the Daily News, Post and Newsday.

• Andy McCullough in the Star-Ledger writes about Davis' issues:

- He’s hitting too many grounders (50 percent of his balls in play before Sunday, according to FanGraphs.com). In the first inning, Davis hacked at a low, 91-mph sinker and tapped the ball back to Alvarez. With the bases loaded in the fifth, he rolled a fastball into what should have been a double play, except second baseman Kelly Johnson fumbled the exchange.

- His luck has been poor. In the fourth inning, Davis smashed a fastball toward the opposite field -- right into the glove of third baseman Yan Gomes. Entering Sunday's game, Davis was hitting line drives 17.4 percent of the time, or slightly better than 2011’s 17 percent mark. Except his batting average on balls in play was a miniscule .184, nearly 200 points below his career average. “He just needs those [line drives] to fall,” hitting coach Dave Hudgens said.

- He’s not drawing walks. Davis saw exactly three pitches in his first three at-bats Sunday.

• Regarding Nieuwenhuis, Barbara Barker writes in Newsday:

A week ago, he led all major-league rookies with a .302 batting average and was second with 35 hits. He went 1-for-3 with an RBI double and two walks in the Mets' 6-5 win Sunday and is now batting .277 with 38 hits, seven doubles, two home runs, 13 RBIs and 16 walks. "This kid doesn't deserve to go back to Triple-A with the way he's swung the bat so far," Buffalo manager Wally Backman said. "But he needs to play. I think for his development, he needs to play every day." Nieuwenhuis says he can't worry about what the future holds, other than to try to perform his best each day he plays. "It's been pretty cool playing up here with the guys," he said, "but whatever happens, happens. I don't make those decisions. I just have to take one day at a time and focus."

• David Wright returned from a day off Saturday and delivered a two-run double in the first inning as part of a 2-for-4 series finale that raised his average to .412. Wright, still sick, passed Jose Reyes for second on the franchise's all-time hit list with 1,302. He needs 116 more hits to match Mets record-holder Ed Kranepool.

• Mike Baxter had a career-high three hits Sunday while starting for the second straight game with the Mets using an extra position player in their lineup in the AL ballpark. Collins pledged to find Baxter playing time in Pittsburgh, although the manager said not at first base yet, and not on Monday against Pirates left-hander Erik Bedard. Read more in the Star-Ledger.

• Gee had a new look and better results. Read more in the Post.

• Read game recaps in the Record, Times, Daily News, Journal, Newsday and Post.

• Collins reiterated Jenrry Mejia is far more likely to help the Mets as a reliever at the major league level in 2012. Read more in Newsday.

• Tim Kurkjian catches up with hot-hitting ex-Met Carlos Beltran at ESPN.com. Kurkjian notes Beltran is two steals shy of 300 swipes and 300 homers in his career, a club that is currently limited to Barry Bonds, Willie Mays, Alex Rodriguez, Andre Dawson, Bobby Bonds, Reggie Sanders and Steve Finley. Writes Kurkjian:

If it weren't for Matt Kemp, Beltran, 35, would be the most valuable player in the National League six weeks into the season. If it weren't for the remarkable Josh Hamilton, May would have been all about Beltran. Not only has he replaced the 2011 production of Albert Pujols in the Cardinals' lineup, he has greatly exceeded it while helping take St. Louis to the front of the National League Central, all while dazzling his new teammates. "When I ran out on the field with him the first time in spring training,'' said Cardinals third baseman David Freese, "I knew he was the most complete player I'd ever played with.''

Lance Berkman, who also was Beltran's teammate during that prolific 2004 postseason with Houston that set up Beltran's seven-year, $119 million contract with the Mets told Kurkjian: "It's funny. An elite player has some things happen to him for three or four years, like injuries, then he becomes an elite player again, and people ask, 'What's going on here?' Just look at the back of his baseball card. He is as complete a player as I've ever played with. He does everything well, and he looks good doing it. When you look at what a player is supposed to do, he's about as good as it gets.''

• Corey Wimberly stole home for Buffalo's lone run in a 4-1 loss to Indianapolis on Sunday. It was the second time a Mets farmhand has swiped home this season. Wimberly had a pure steal of the plate, while Binghamton's Josh Rodriguez stole home on April 21 as part of a double-steal. Read Sunday's full minor league recap here.

• Forty-thousand Orthodox Jews packed Citi Field on Sunday to decry the internet. Read more in the Daily News.

• Michael Howard Saul in the Journal revealed that Citi Field, now in its fourth season, still does not have all its full permits from the city in order. Mayor Michael Bloomberg at last week's All-Star Game press conference dismissed the issue as procedural and insignificant and insisted the stadium was safe. Wrote Saul, alluding to the City Hall announcement about next season's Mid-Summer Classic:

Unmentioned was the embarrassing fact that the three-year-old stadium in Queens still hasn’t received a certificate of occupancy from the city. The stadium has a temporary certificate, which means it is “safe and legal to occupy,” said Tony Sclafani, a spokesman for the Department of Buildings, in an email.

TRIVIA: For which former Pirate Pirate is the yellow bridge spanning the Allegheny River adjacent to PNC Park named?

Sunday's answer: Jason Bay was the last Pirate to have a multi-homer game against the Mets. At Shea Stadium on July 24, 2007, Bay went deep off John Maine and Guillermo Mota.

INDIANAPOLIS 4, BUFFALO 1: The Herd, which had a four-game winning streak snapped, scored its lone run against Rick VandenHurk in the first inning, when Corey Wimberly successfully had a delayed straight steal of home with Valentino Pascucci batting. "I basically told Corey, 'If you think you can steal home, go for it,'" manager Wally Backman said. "It was a success due to the position of the third baseman." It is the first time a Bison has stolen home since Chris Clapinski on May 16, 2004 at Columbus. Said Wimberley: "I told Wally if the pitcher lobs the ball back, I'm going home. I caught them sleeping, so I went for it." Jack Egbert, who started in place of Jeremy Hefner, who was called up to the Mets, allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits in two innings. In relief of Egbert, Chuck James tossed three scoreless innings. Backman was ejected in the third inning for arguing a caught stealing call by the third base umpire. The Bisons activated reliever Jeff Stevens and welcomed Edgar Ramirez to the club's roster. In his first Triple-A action since 2009, Ramirez allowed two runs (one earned) in three innings. Chris Schwinden was recalled by the Mets. Infielder Michael Fisher was demoted to Double-A Binghamton. Box

BINGHAMTON 11, PORTLAND 7: The B-Mets collected 12 hits and scored in all but one inning. The rubber-game victory secured Binghamton’s third straight series win and kicked their record above .500 for the first time in May. Binghamton grabbed the lead three batters into the game against Sea Dogs starter Chris Balcom-Miller. Matt den Dekker extended his hitting streak to a career-best 15 games with an infield single. After advancing to second on a throwing error by third baseman Kolbrin Vitek, the first of four errors for Portland, den Dekker moved to third on a sac bunt and scored on Reese Havens’ groundout. The B-Mets added two runs in the second, when Juan Lagares scored on a wild pitch and Pedro Zapata supplied a sac fly. Raul Reyes lashed an RBI double in the third and den Dekker drove in a run with a single in the fourth, Balcom-Miller’s final inning. The righty was tagged for five runs (three earned) on four hits and walked five in four innings. Binghamton kept the offense rolling against reliever Jeremy Kehrt. Lagares ripped an RBI double in the fifth and Sean Kazmar drove in two with a double in the sixth. Kazmar scored later in the three-run inning on a fielding error by Reynaldo Rodriguez at first. The frame gave Binghamton a 9-2 lead. Portland's Jeremy Hazelbaker got the Sea Dogs on the board in third with a solo homer against starter Greg Peavey and Derrik Gibson added a sac fly in the fourth. Down by seven in the sixth, Portland chased Peavey by getting the first four to reach safely. Ronald Bermudez’s RBI single with the bases loaded ended Peavey’s day. The righty allowed three runs on eight hits over five innings. With the bases loaded and no outs, Kevin Mulvey entered and induced Gibson to bounce back to the mound, starting a double play. Heiker Meneses struck out to end the threat. The seventh was not as smooth for Mulvey. He walked one and hit a batter before serving up a three-run homer to Rodriguez, cutting Binghamton’s lead to three. Jeff Kaplan took over and allowed the first four he faced to reach safely. Gibson ripped an RBI single to center with the bases loaded to make it 9-7. However, Kaplan retired the next two batters to end the inning. He posted a perfect eighth. The B-Mets added runs in the eighth and ninth, highlighted by Jefry Marte's solo homer. Adrian Rosario navigated around two walks to post a scoreless ninth. Peavey (3-1) snapped a five-start winless streak. Box

LAKELAND 2, ST. LUCIE 1: Ryan Fraser allowed two runs on five hits in 1 2/3 innings of relief to get tagged with the loss. Starter Angel Cuan limited Lakeland to one hit and two walks while striking out three in 6 1/3 scoreless innings. St. Lucie mustered three hits. The lone run came in the sixth when Cory Vaughn, Richard Lucas and Blake Forsythe all walked, and Vaughn scored on a subsequent Lakeland error. Box

SAVANNAH 5, AUGUSTA 3: Savannah had a comfortable 5-0 lead heading to the ninth, but the GreenJackets scored three times and had the tying run at second with two outs when reliever T.J. Chism induced a comebacker to end the game. The Gnats lost the first two games of the series, each by one run, while stranding the tying run at second. On Sunday, Savannah scored the game’s opening run in the second. Dustin Lawley walked and scored on Brian Harrison’s RBI double over the head of center fielder Carlos Willoughby. Savannah added two runs apiece in the sixth and seventh innings. Lawley began the sixth by lining a homer just to the right side of the batter’s eye. Travis Taijeron followed with a triple up the right-center gap and came home on Aderlin Rodriguez’s hustle double on a pop fly into shallow center to put the Gnats up 3-0. T.J. Rivera added a two-run homer in the seventh. In the ninth, making his first Savannah appearance, reliever Randy Fontanez walked two batters and hit one to load the bases. A sacrifice fly trimmed the Gnats’ lead to 5-1. A single reloaded the bases and chased Fontanez. With the tying run at the plate, Chism struck out pinch-hitter Kelby Tomlinson. However, Willoughby dumped a double down the left-field line to drive in two. He raced to second as the tying run. Chism then induced a chopper back to the mound to end the threat and game. Gnats starter Rafael Montero allowed one infield hit in six innings. He faced one over the minimum through five innings. Box

Compiled from team reports

TORONTO -- Clean-shaven Dillon Gee, who dumped the pronounced goatee he had sported since the offseason after his last start, did not minimize the need for him to produce a performance like Sunday's outing.

Recognizing the bullpen was overtaxed, and recognizing he needed to kick things into gear after allowing seven runs last week against Milwaukee, Gee turned in a credible effort against the Toronto Blue Jays. He was charged with three runs in 6 2/3 innings to even his record at 3-3 and lower his ERA to 5.44.

“I think it was a really big start for Dillon. I really do,” Terry Collins said. “He needed to get back on track, obviously. He’s shaved. He’s done all the things that guys do when they think they’re in a slump. He’s changed socks. New shoes. All the things a player does to beat the jinx. Then he went out and pitched a great ballgame.”

Said David Wright: “Dillon did a fantastic job today. He didn’t look like he had his best stuff and struggled with command, but somehow got through 6 2/3, and that’s impressive.”

As Wright suggested, Gee said it's curious that he would have better results this time than last time, when he felt like he had better stuff.

Gee was having so much difficulty throwing a strike during the second inning on Sunday, pitching coach Dan Warthen recommended he throw entirely from the stretch. Gee eventually righted himself and cruised through the middle innings.

He wanted to get through seven innings, but was pulled after Jose Bautista touched him for a two-out RBI single that pulled Toronto within 6-3. Gee lamented that 0-2 pitch getting too much of the plate.

"Oh well," he concluded. "We won."

TORONTO -- After another solid day Sunday in which he started in left field and produced a career-high three hits to up his season average to .390, pinch-hitter-extraordinaire Mike Baxter is due for increased playing time, manager Terry Collins promised.

“Against those righties in Pittsburgh, I’ve got to get him in the lineup,” Collins said. “His at-bats, it’s speaking for itself. You’ve got a red-hot bat like his, you’ve got to get him in there.”

Baxter will not start Monday, when the Mets face left-hander Erik Bedard, but he could very well start the next two days at PNC Park, against right-handers James McDonald and Charlie Morton.

Baxter saw some action at first base during spring training, but Collins said he is not comfortable using him right now at that position. So Baxter’s upcoming starts should come in the outfield, likely at the expense of Kirk Nieuwenhuis or Lucas Duda, rather than to Ike Davis’ detriment -- at least in the short term.

“I don’t think he’s played enough first base,” Collins said. “Even though he played a couple of games in spring training, he hasn’t had one groundball during the season at first base. So I’m not comfortable with him over there right now.”

Baxter, who had to beat out Adam Loewen for the lefty-hitting backup outfielder roster spot out of spring training, noted he has plenty of first-base experience. The Whitestone, Queens, native has logged 150 minor leagues games at first base. He also played there in college at Columbia and Vanderbilt.

“I’m very, very comfortable at first,” Baxter said. “I played it all through college. I played it quite a bit in the minor leagues, too. I can easily get back over there if that’s something they want.”

As for Sunday’s performance, Baxter doubled in the first inning, had an RBI triple in the second and singled in the fifth. He had two more shots at the cycle, but grounded out and then walked -- falling a homer shy. He admitted thinking about becoming the 11^th player in franchise history to hit for the cycle, but recognized homering is not part of his game.

“It crossed my mind,” Baxter said. “But I didn’t really want to get away from what I’ve been doing. I just want to try to keep the same approach. I don’t want to start messing with it.”

Baxter has only 49 professional homers between the majors and minors since debuting in 2005.

Baxter had one minor league cycle, with Triple-A Portland in the Padres organization on June 8, 2010 against Reno, which started Kris Benson.

“Inside-the-park home run, just FYI,” Baxter said with a laugh.

One sign Baxter has arrived? Toronto fans were doing a derogatory chat directed at him as he played left field in the latter innings.

“That’s one way to look at it,” Baxter said. “Oh yeah, they were chanting my name. That was a good crowd today. That was a pretty good environment.

“They got me good.”

Said David Wright: “He’s been great. He goes up there and has a good at-bat. It’s fun. I get to see it up close and personal in the on-deck circle, what he’s been able to do in kind of spraying it around. He’s been a terrific situational hitter for us. I think he’s earned all the playing time that he’s gotten. And I’m sure there’s a lot more for him to come. He’s been great for us, especially off the bench. Pinch-hitting is tough to do. And to do what he’s doing is very impressive.”

TORONTO -- David Wright did more than downplay grabbing sole possession of second place on the Mets’ all-time hits list Sunday, which he accomplished with a two-run double in the first inning.

Wright insisted he was unaware that he entered the game tied with ex-teammate Jose Reyes with 1,300 hits apiece in a Mets uniform.

“I didn’t even know,” Wright said. “Obviously getting hits is a good thing. Hopefully there’s a lot more to come.”

Wright, who already has passed Darryl Strawberry for the franchise’s career RBI record this season, sits at 1,302 hits after a 2-for-4 series finale in Toronto that lifted his average to .412.

Ed Kranepool has the franchise record with 1,418 -- at least for a little bit longer.

If Wright continues at this at-bat rate -- 131 ABs through 41 games -- he would need to hit .300 during his remaining at-bats (116-for-387) to match Kranepool in Game No. 162 this year.

Wright’s production for most of the season has come with a broken right pinkie. As of late, he also has dealt with a severe cold that left him unavailable to even pinch-hit Saturday. Ike Davis and Bobby Parnell also currently are under the weather with the flu or a similar malady that is making the rounds through the clubhouse.

“I feel a little bit better,” Wright said. “My last few days I’ve just been fairly achy -- your (whole) body. Today that’s gone down a little bit. So hopefully a short flight tonight and I’ll get some rest.”

TORONTO -- Before departing with teammates, Jason Bay told ESPNNewYork.com he plans to attempt to take batting practice Monday in Pittsburgh -- his most extensive activity since fracturing a rib on an attempted catch at Citi Field on April 23.

Bay started swinging lightly this weekend, his first time doing so since the injury. Doctors must sign off on Monday's activity.

"Definitely plausible," Bay said about the intended batting practice.

Bay may be only a week from returning.

TORONTO -- Frank Francisco has a theory about the hostile reception he received from the Rogers Centre crowd.

“Because they loved me and I left,” joked Francisco, who signed a two-year, $12 million deal with the Mets at the winter meetings after Toronto opted not to retain him.

Francisco eked out his 10^th save as a Met on Sunday, as the Mets salvaged a 6-5 win against the Blue Jays. Francisco walked leadoff batter Yunel Escobar and then surrendered a single to Jose Bautista through the right side of the infield, which had been vacated by a shift, to open the inning, causing his manager a little angst.

“I said, ‘Oh boy, let’s see what happens here,’” Terry Collins said. “And he reached back for a little extra.”

Sure enough, topping out at 98 mph, Francisco then consecutively struck out Edwin Encarnacion, J.P. Arencibia and Eric Thames as the Mets escaped with a victory and the closer avoided a reprise of recent meltdowns.

“I really thought in the ninth inning today, Frankie coming back here, I thought he might be amped up,” Collins said. “You had a great crowd today. With the middle of that lineup, I said, ‘If you’re ever going to show your true colors, now’s the time.’ He hit 98 mph a couple of times on the gun, so we know it’s still in there.”

Catcher Rob Johnson twice visited Francisco on the mound to nurse him through the frame.

“I think he threw a 98 mph fastball,” Johnson said. “It was away. And I was like, ‘Whoa, man, where did that come from?’ Because you’re used to 92-94 mph. That was awesome to see, playing here last year.”

Collins, by the way, believed Bautista’s single through the vacated right side of the infield was only the second groundball there by the slugger this season, according to Mets data. That’s why Daniel Murphy had been positioned behind second base.

As for the crowd reaction to Francisco, the ex-Jay lightheartedly summed it up this way: “I’m deaf on the mound. I don’t hear anything.”

Johnson concurred.

“I hear nothing,” the catcher said. “I have very good selective hearing, if you want to look at it as good. My wife doesn’t like it too much.”

WHAT IT MEANS: The weekend wasn’t a total loss, at least. In their first visit to Toronto in six years, the Mets salvaged the series finale, beating the Blue Jays, 6-5, Sunday afternoon at Rogers Centre.

Barely.

Bobby Parnell surrendered a pair of eighth-inning runs, including an RBI single to Colby Rasmus that snapped the ex-Cardinal’s 0-for-20 skid, as Toronto rallied to within a run. But Tim Byrdak made his 24^th appearance in 41 games to retire lefty-hitting Kelly Johnson on a flyout to right field and end that frame.

In the ninth, ex-Blue Jays closer Frank Francisco, who was loudly jeered upon entering, closed things out despite a leadoff walk to Yunel Escobar and ensuing single by Jose Bautista that placed the winning run on base with none out. Francisco struck out the next three batters.

WELCOME BACK: After scheduled day off, and with his illness having somewhat improved, David Wright delivered a two-run double in the first inning against Jays right-hander Henderson Alvarez. It was hit No. 1,301 of Wright’s career, which passed ex-teammate Jose Reyes for sole possession of second on franchise’s all-time list. Ed Kranepool has the highest hit total as a Met for now: 1,418. Wright now stands at 1,302. He finished Sunday’s game 2-for-4 with a walk, albeit with an eighth-inning strikeout that stranded the bases loaded and kept the score 6-3. His average now stands at .412.

(Wright wasn’t solely at fault for a scoreless eighth. Ike Davis doubled and advanced to third on a passed ball, but was thrown out at the plate on a pitch that similarly eluded catcher J.P. Arencibia.)

BAXTER BURNING: Mike Baxter, starting for a second straight game with the pitcher not batting in the American League ballpark, went 3-for-4 with a walk. He fell a homer shy of producing the second cycle by a Met this season (Scott Hairston at Colorado on April 27, in an 18-9 loss). Baxter’s hit total achieved a career high, and lifted his average to .390, in 41 at-bats. Baxter even was the subject of taunts from fans in the left-field stands.

After being deprived of a would-be ninth-inning double Saturday with an incorrect out call at second base, Baxter doubled and tripled in the first two inings Sunday while starting in left field. The latter extra-base hit scored Ronny Cedeno and staked the Mets to a 4-0 lead.

GEE MINOR: Clean-shaven Dillon Gee completed 6 2/3 innings and notched his first win since April 28 at Colorado. He departed after an RBI single by Jose Bautista pulled the Jays within 6-3. Parnell entered and stranded Bautista by coaxing a fielder’s choice groundout by Edwin Encarnacion.

Gee’s final line: 6.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 6 K, 1 HBP. He threw 113 pitches (67 strikes). He surrendered a third-inning solo homer to Bautista that pulled the Jays within 4-2 at the time.

WHAT’S NEXT: The Mets, in businesslike attire, head through customs and travel to Pittsburgh. Johan Santana (1-2, 2.89 ERA) opposes left-hander Erik Bedard (2-5, 3.07) in Monday’s 7:05 p.m. opener.

TORONTO -- Terry Collins keeps making it crystal clear: Jenrry Mejia is likely to work as a reliever this season in the majors, once a little more time has elapsed since his Tommy John surgery on May 16, 2011.

Mejia made his third minor league start Saturday, allowing one run on six hits while striking out three and walking none in three innings for Double-A Binghamton. He was pulled at 48 pitches, fewer than either of his previous starts with Class A St. Lucie.

Collins explained the reduced pitch count was the organization being cautious because pitching in Double-A potentially requires more stress than facing lower-level Florida State League hitters.

"Because he was put in a little bit higher level, where a lot of times the effort level is increased because the competition level is a little bit better, we were concerned about the pitch count," Collins said. "So they backed down the pitch count a little bit. But his next start, I'm sure, will be back up there."

The manager reiterated, though, that Mejia very likely is going to transition to relief work at some point. Initially after that transition, Mejia will be restricted in that work, though -- including not pitching back-to-back days.

By the time he would eventually be promoted to the Mets, the 22-year-old right-hander would be capable of throwing on consecutive days, Collins predicted.

Sandy Alderson said upon Mejia moving from St. Lucie to Binghamton that Mejia likely would make two starts with Binghamton, then two for Triple-A Buffalo in what is considered the unofficial rehab phase from Tommy John surgery.

Mejia's first tour of duty in the majors came in the bullpen two years ago, as Jerry Manuel and Omar Minaya were fighting to retain their jobs and felt compelled to take the best 25 players north out of spring training.

"It's a process of getting him back 100 percent healthy," Collins said. "There are fast healers. He's one of them. He was actually pitching in games before the year (anniversary from when) he had surgery, which is great.

"But there's going to be a process of going out and getting some innings and getting a feel for his secondary pitches, getting a workload in, building up his arm strength, making sure he can come back. Because, when he gets here, most likely it's going to be out of the bullpen. So as he builds up his arm strength, then we've got to test him somehow as a reliever in the minor leagues, which is not going to be I'm sure back-to-back days. We're probably not going to do that."

TORONTO -- Terry Collins no longer is dismissing Ike Davis to the minors as a possibility.

A day after the Miami Marlins sent 2011 All-Star first baseman Gaby Sanchez to Triple-A, and only days after the Blue Jays demoted their first baseman, Adam Lind, Collins acknowledged Davis needs to pick up his performance during this road trip or that fate could befall him too.

In recent weeks, the manager steadfastly had said team brass had not even discussed such a possibility. Davis enters Sunday's game 4-for-29 in his past 10 games. He has the worst home batting average in the majors, at .065 (5-for-62).

Overall, Davis is hitting .160 with five homers and 14 RBIs.

The Mets are going to need to clear roster spots for the returns of Ruben Tejada (quadriceps) and Jason Bay (rib), both of which may be a week to 10 days away. Lucas Duda did extensive early work back at first base during the last homestand.

"There is nothing etched in stone," Collins said with respect to minors consideration for Davis. "We will never, never say something is not going to happen. What we're trying to do is make sure is we wring the rag dry. And that's why, coming into this road trip, we said, 'Look, here's some pretty good opportunities.' This is a pretty good hitting park. Pittsburgh is a pretty good hitting park. We've got right-handers, right-handers, right-handers coming up. Let's just see if we can get him going."

Sanchez and Lind are not the only high-profile players to wind up in the minors in recent weeks. Jair Jurrjens, another former All-Star, was dispatched to Triple-A Gwinnett by the Braves.

That's not to say there are not other options to make roster room. Kirk Nieuwenhuis has slowed considerably since his torrid introduction to the majors. He is hitting .176 (6-for-34) in his past 10 games.

"I don't know what to tell you," Davis said Sunday morning. "I'm going to play here until something happens. ... I really can't answer questions about that until something happens. I'm not sent down yet, so I don't know what to tell you.

"I feel fine. I've hit some balls hard, just never found a hole.

"Yeah, if you don't play well, unless you have like a huge deal, you're not going to be up here. Until it happens, I can't really say anything. I've played one game since we've been here, and I lined out. And then I faced a pretty good guy last night. We'll see what happens. I honestly don't know what to tell you. I can't just make up stuff."

TORONTO -- Miguel Batista officially was placed on the DL Sunday morning, with Chris Schwinden promoted from Triple-A Buffalo to take the roster spot ... at least for the day.

The team announced Batista has a lower-back strain, although the 41-year-old right-hander said the injury is more likely an oblique.

"It's more on the side, so it has to be an oblique," said Batista, who tried to warm up for the third inning Saturday wearing a belt to support his back, to no avail.

Jeremy Hefner "probably" will start Thursday against the San Diego Padres, his original club, at Citi Field, Terry Collins said. He would be the fourth person to occupy that rotation slot, following Mike Pelfrey, Schwinden and then Batista.

Batista said the injury is not severe, and he would have preferred to avoid the DL. But Collins said the Mets could not take the chance. After Batista departed Saturday's game, Hefner entered and limited the Blue Jays to two runs in five innings.

"I wasn't that sore today, but that's what they told me," Batista said about the DL trip. "I knew yesterday it wasn't a really bad one, but I felt a pull on that pitch. So far, hopefully it won't take 15 days. I don't believe it will. It all depends on how it goes tomorrow when I soft toss."

Said Collins: "He was pitching great. But he's got the groin issue. He's got the lower-back issue. He said his back feels a lot better today, and we understand that. But the one thing we can't afford to happen is in four days, or even tomorrow, 'Hey, look, I've got to back off my bullpen.' ... You end up having to pull him out of a game again after the second inning, we may not have the backup that's needed. We just thought in the best interest of letting his groin heal, letting his back heal, we'll disable him."

Collins confirmed the Mets would make another roster move before Monday's series opener in Pittsburgh to restore the bench to five position players. Utility man Vinny Rottino would be eligible, because Sunday is the 10th and final day he is required to be in the minors after being optioned to Buffalo on May 11. Schwinden would be logical to make a U-turn to Buffalo.

TORONTO -- David Wright reported feeling slightly better Sunday and Terry Collins placed him back in the lineup after a day off. Andres Torres will serve as the designated hitter. Collins reasoned that Torres has a history of leg trouble, so keeping him off the artificial turf makes sense.

Andres Torres, dh
Mike Baxter, lf
David Wright, 3b
Lucas Duda, rf
Daniel Murphy, 2b
Kirk Nieuwenhuis, cf
Ike Davis, 1b
Ronny Cedeno, ss
Rob Johnson, c

Dillon Gee, rhp

Brandon Morrow tossed a three-hit shutout and the Mets lost to the Toronto Blue Jays, 2-0, Saturday at Rogers Centre. Dillon Gee starts Sunday's 1:07 p.m. game, trying to prevent the Amazin's from getting swept north of the border.

Regarding the Mets' offense, Terry Collins said, the Mets can't be patient to a fault in driving up pitch counts.

"We’ve got to start grinding out some at-bats," Collins said. "It goes back to exactly what we talked about a couple of weeks ago, and that's: It’s not about taking pitches. It’s about being patient, and when you get the pitch you want, hit it. Brandon was in the strike zone today. He was making good pitches early in the count. And we're down early, 0-1, 0-2. I don’t want these guys to think they've got to go up there and just take the good pitches they can hit."

Sunday's news reports:

• Miguel Batista was forced to leave Saturday's game after tossing two scoreless innings because of a pulled muscle in his lower back. Jeremy Hefner, promoted from Triple-A Buffalo, entered in relief and limited the Jays to two runs in five innings but was charged with the loss. Chris Schwinden will arrive Sunday in Toronto as a taxi-squad member, and presumably has a good chance of being activated as a hedge against Gee having a short outing, with Batista landing on the DL.

Jordany Valdespin had been demoted before Saturday's game to make room for Hefner. Valdespin will play second base with the Bisons. The Mets will promote a position player before Monday's game in Pittsburgh, Collins indicated. Collins said Hefner would start in Batista's place Thursday at Citi Field if the 41-year-old right-hander lands on the DL. Read more in Newsday, the Record, Star-Ledger and Post.

• Mike Baxter was ruled out at second base in the ninth inning on an apparent blown call. Had Baxter been credited with a double, the Mets would have had two runners in scoring position with one out in the ninth, trailing by two runs. Read more in the Post.

• Read game recaps in the Post, Times, Star-Ledger, Newsday, Record and Daily News.

• There's no indication Ike Davis is in imminent danger of a demotion. But the number of notable names getting demoted is, well, notable. First, the Braves sent Jair Jurrjens to Triple-A Gwinnett. First baseman Adam Lind is reportedly on waivers for the purpose of being removed from the 40-man roster and demoted by the Blue Jays. And, now, first baseman Gaby Sanchez, who was hitting .197 with one homer with Miami, has been demoted too. “We don’t think he’s a .190 hitter,” Marlins GM Michael Hill told the Miami Herald about Sanchez, an All-Star last season. “We think he’s better than he’s showing here. We think he’s pressing. We want to take some of the pressure off him, get him down to Triple-A, and get him right.” Davis is hitting .160 after going 0-for-3 Saturday in Toronto.

• Pedro Beato began an official rehab assignment Saturday night with Class A St. Lucie, tossing two scoreless innings. He is on the 60-day DL because of a shoulder issue that arose during spring training. Jenrry Mejia, meanwhile, allowed one run on six hits while striking out three and walking none in three innings for Double-A Binghamton. He threw only 48 pitches in his first Double-A start since Tommy John surgery, but Sandy Alderson said that roughly was the prescribed length. Mejia had higher pitch counts in two previous starts for St. Lucie. Also Saturday, Vinny Rottino had three homers for Triple-A Buffalo. Read the Saturday's full minor league recap here.

• David Wright was sicker Saturday than the previous day and was unavailable. Still, he already has informed Collins he wants to play Sunday. Read more in the Daily News.

• Anthony McCarron pens a feature in the Daily News celebrating Wright's leadership by example. Regarding Wright bickering with Collins in the dugout because he wanted to remain in Tuesday's game against Milwaukee to get drilled as payback for D.J. Carrasco hitting Ryan Braun, Ron Darling said: “I think there were probably people on the bench who didn’t understand what the hullabaloo was about at all and were taught a valuable lesson. 'What? Get hit? Who wants to get hit?’ He basically said, 'I know how the game is played and I know what we have to do in certain situations and I’m willing to do that.' David is one of those rare current players who could’ve played in any generation. There is a real courage in the way he plays the game. Guy played three weeks with a back that was broken last year, hits a homer with a broken finger because he knows his team needs him. I watch him play, and it makes me proud that I was part of the fraternity.”

• Collins believes Ruben Tejada (quadriceps) could be in a minor league rehab game as soon as Monday. Jason Bay (fractured rib) may take batting practice that day in Pittsburgh. Chris Young, who took a brief break with his wife due to give birth, is expected to resume his comeback with Class A St. Lucie on Friday. It will be Young's third minor league start with the Florida State League club since May 16, 2011 surgery to repair a torn anterior capsule in his right shoulder.

• David Lennon in Newsday reviews the early impact of the wall changes at Citi Field. He notes Gee's amusement at hearing during the trip to Miami's new ballpark about Marlins players already expressing discontent with the cavernous dimensions. As a result of the Citi Field changes, there have been 10 additional homers this season that would have remained in play under the old configuration -- six by opponents, four by the Mets (Kirk Nieuwenhuis 2, Lucas Duda, Wright). "I enjoy it," Wright told Lennon. "Obviously, it's smaller, so I enjoy that. But it's tough, I guess, to describe the effect that it has because it's still relatively early. A lot of how the ball carries has to do with the weather, and the weather has been chilly, rainy and windy."

Still, Citi Field has not become a homer haven. Writes Lennon:

Through the first 20 home games, there have been 26 home runs hit at Citi Field, and that frequency of 1.3 per game is tied (with Wrigley Field) for 13th-best in the National League . Only AT&T Park (0.84), PETCO Park (0.96) and Marlins Park (1.24) had produced fewer. Before Citi's changes are deemed inconsequential, however, consider this: According to ESPN Home Run Tracker, 10 home runs needed the new dimensions to clear the walls, and if there were only 16 home runs to this point, that drops the average rate to a minuscule 0.80 -- the lowest in either league. "It's only a small sample size," Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said. "But at the same time, that's still a dramatic impact."

Jeff Wilpon told Lennon: "It doesn't look like a sore thumb sticking out, in the terms of the changes that we made. I think it's been very successful in that sense. We knew it wouldn't make a huge difference -- we wanted it to be a moderate difference. ... I wish we were hitting more home runs, either with the benefit of the changes or without the benefits."

• Tyler Kepner in the Times pays homage to Chipper Jones, who is due to retire at season's end. Writes Kepner:

In Chicago, the Cubs gave him a Braves flag that flew above the scoreboard at Wrigley Field. In Denver, the Rockies gave him a camera to mount on his hunting bow. The Houston Astros gave him a cowboy hat, and the St. Louis Cardinals presented a jersey signed by Stan Musial. “It was really cool in St. Louis when he came up to bat,” Braves reliever Craig Kimbrel said. “They kind of stopped the game. They were already losing in the first inning, but he came up to bat and got a standing ovation.”

Jones told Kepner about last year's Braves historic collapse relative to the team's current success (25-16, first place): "It’s really gratifying because the guys went home in the offseason and used what happened in September as a motivational tool. I’ve said this all along: If we end up winning an Eastern Division championship or a National League championship or a World Series in the next couple of years, I guarantee you all these players will look back at September and say we learned a lot.”

• Critic Bob Raissman in the Daily News praises Collins as a straight shooter. Writes Raissman:

While The Prince of Darkness, John Tortorella, continues perfecting his mummified style, Terry Collins is out in Queens shedding light. The Mets manager will never be cast as Mr. Sunshine. He illuminates by speaking the truth. That’s why the media rarely has a discouraging word about him. Of all the head mouths in town, Collins is the straightest shooter.

• Columnist Jeff Bradley in the Star-Ledger compares the 1993 Yankees to the 2012 Mets in terms of success despite low expectations. Warning: extensive Paul O'Neill quoting.

TRIVIA: Who was the last Pittsburgh Pirate to have a multi-homer game against the Mets?

Saturday's answer: Mike Jacobs was traded to Toronto for a player to be named or cash in the last swap between the Mets and Jays, on July 30, 2010.

BUFFALO 11, INDIANAPOLIS 6: Vinny Rottino blasted three homers and Valentino Pascucci, Jordany Valdespin and Matt Tuiasosopo also went deep. The long-ball barrage gives Buffalo an International League-leading 47 homers, passing Pawtucket (42). The six homers are the most in a game by the Bisons since July 2, 2004. In the third, Rottino and Pascucci crushed back-to-back homers off Indians starter Justin Wilson to push the lead to 4-1. Pascucci's homer was his third in the past two games and 49th in his Bisons career, tying him with ex-Bison Jason Cooper for seventh all time on the Buffalo modern-era home run list. With the score tied at 4 in the sixth, Valdespin -- who began the day in the Mets clubhouse in Toronto -- clobbered a solo homer. Later in the inning, Corey Wimberly and Brad Emaus had consecutive singles, but Emaus would get picked off at first by Indians pitcher Bryan Morris. With Wimberly at second, Rottino produced a two-run blast for a 7-4 lead. Rottino homered again in the eighth with Wimberly on base. More power would follow Rottino's blast. Lucas May singled and Tuiasosopo delivered a two-run homer to increase the Bisons' lead to 11-4. Justin Hampson and Josh Edgin combined to log 4 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of Jeurys Familia. Familia was charged with four runs (three earned) on five hits and four walks while striking out three in 3 2/3 innings. He required 87 pitches despite the modest length. Jack Egbert is scheduled to start in Sunday afternoon's game in place of the promoted Jeremy Hefner. Box

BINGHAMTON 6, PORTLAND 5 (10 innings): Pedro Zapata hammered a two-out solo homer over the Maine Monster in the 10th. Zapata’s blast, his first this season, capped a game that saw 10 total runs scored over the final three innings. Trailing 1-0 in the eighth, the B-Mets put up five runs against two Portland relievers to take their first lead of the series. Binghamton sent 10 men to the plate and compiled six hits, highlighted by a two-run homer by Raul Reyes. Portland wasted little time to cut into the deficit. Darin Gorski, in his fifth inning piggybacking Jenrry Mejia's start, allowed back-to-back homers the following half-inning, cutting Binghamton’s lead to one. Reynaldo Rodriguez ripped a two-run shot over the Maine Monster and Bryce Brentz followed with a solo homer. Brad Holt ended the threat by recording two outs, but could not half the Portland comeback in the ninth. Derrik Gibson started the inning with a single and scored two batters later on a sac fly from Jeremy Hazelbaker. After allowing five hits in his first two innings of relief, Will Latimer returned for the 10th and recorded two quick outs before Zapata launched a 1-2 offering over the fence in left field. Adrian Rosario, promoted from St. Lucie on Friday, tossed a perfect 10th inning to collect his first Eastern League save. Mejia navigated the opening three innings in his first start with the B-Mets since August 2010. He allowed the leadoff hitter to reach in every frame and surrendered six hits overall. He struck out three and did not issue any walks. Gorski went 4 1/3 innings in a no-decision, allowing three runs on three hits. Holt (2-0) collected the win after blowing his first save. It was Binghamton’s first win in 18 games this year when trailing after seven innings. Box

ST. LUCIE 7, LAKELAND 3: Pedro Beato and Kyle Allen combined for four no-hit, scoreless relief innings. Blake Forsythe produced two RBIs off the bench after replacing Rafael Fernandez in left field. It was Forsythe's first professional appearance in the outfield. Francisco Pena also drove in two runs. Alonzo Harris Jr. is 5-for-10 in two games since taking over the leadoff spot. Box

SAVANNAH 7, AUGUSTA 4: The Gnats overcame a 4-0 first-inning deficit as Brian Harrison reached base safely in all four of his plate appearances, He went 3-for-3 with a double and four RBIs. In his last 11 games, Harrison is hitting .425 (17-for-40) with five doubles, a triple, a homer and 12 RBIs. Savannah starter Michael Fulmer walked the game's opening batter, who then scored on Fulmer’s own throwing error. After a pair of singles, cleanup hitter Mark Minicozzi’s three-run homer gave the 'Jackets a 4-0 lead before Fulmer had recorded an out. The 29-year-old Minicozzi is 10 years older than the 19-year-old Fulmer. The Gnats (25-16) answered with three runs in the bottom half. After two walks, Aderlin Rodriguez brought home the first run with a double. Harrison followed with a two-run single. Rodriguez extended his hitting streak to seven games. Savannah took a 5-4 lead in the fourth against Kyle Crick. With runners at second and third and two out, Luis Nieves tripled over the head of right fielder Michael Mergenthaler. The Gnats scored in the seventh on Harrison’s two-run double. Fulmer lasted two innings, his shortest outing in seven starts as a Gnat. However, relievers Carlos Vazquez, Chasen Bradford and T.J. Chism combined for seven scoreless, one-hit innings. Vazquez earned the win with four innings of relief work. Box

Compiled from team reports

Pedro Beato, who has been sidelined since spring training with shoulder discomfort, appeared in his first minor league game Saturday night. Beato tossed two scoreless innings for Class A St. Lucie, allowing one walk while striking out two.

Beato is on the 60-day major league DL, which freed up a 40-man roster spot but prevents him from appearing in the big leagues until May 27.

He likely was slated to be optioned to Triple-A Buffalo to open the season had he not had the shoulder issue and instead been placed on the major league DL.