Maybe the Mets do have an edge. Well, at least a pulse.

Carlos Beltran slugged a pair of two-run homers and David Wright also had a two-run shot as the Mets beat the Braves, 6-4, last night at Turner Field.

Beltran's 26th career multi-homer game allowed him to extend his hitting streak to 15 games, which matches a career high also accomplished in 2004, spanning a trade from Kansas City to Houston.

The rally from a three-run deficit allowed the Mets to avoid dropping four games under .500 for the first time since Sept. 17, 2005. That day, a loss to Atlanta capped a 3-14 stretch that caused the Mets to free-fall from wild-card contention during their first season under Omar Minaya and Willie Randolph.

Minaya, who joined the team here yesterday and dispatched Oliver Perez to the bullpen, had suggested last week that the Mets lack a champion's "edge." The GM backtracked when he realized how the statement played publicly.

Still, John Maine insisted about last night's atmosphere: "It was a different dugout. Everyone was really up, really wanting to win this one."

The Mets (11-13) overcame a three-run deficit for the first time this season, despite not producing a hit against Javier Vazquez until Wright's one-out double in the fourth. Manager Jerry Manuel suggested that shot to right-center was an encouraging sign because that's Wright's favorite gap when he's producing.

Still, Vazquez took a 3-0 lead into the sixth, when Beltran and Wright each slugged two-run homers to put the Mets in front.

In the seventh, Beltran hit a second two-run homer for a 6-3 lead that chased Vazquez.

"I didn't think it was going to be a home run because it was such a line drive," Beltran said about his first homer.

The Mets had entered the day ranked 27th in the majors in homers with 16. Wright, who had participated in an early batting practice session with hitting coach Howard Johnson yesterday afternoon, homered for just the second time this season. His other came off San Diego's Walter Silva on April 13.

Maine (2-2), pitching for the first time in a week, due to a team off-day and Sunday's rainout, felt miserable because of an illness and he was grumpy about issuing six walks while allowing three hits in six innings. Still, he held the Braves scoreless after a three-run second, and Manuel was encouraged by the seven strikeouts and the number of balls fouled straight back.

"That means his ball is hopping at the end," Manuel said.

After the Braves (11-14) loaded the bases with none out on consecutive walks to Brandon Jones and David Ross in the second, Maine nearly escaped.

He struck out No. 8 batter Jordan Schafer. Vazquez (2-3) then sent a slow grounder to Jose Reyes. Reyes threw to Luis Castillo for a forceout, and the second baseman attempted a desperation double-play turn to try and keep Atlanta off the scoreboard. Ross' hard but clean takeout slide forced Castillo to throw wide of first baseman Carlos Delgado.

Not only did Jeff Francoeur score, but Jones scampered home, too, as the ball bounced off the fence in front of the home dugout. Yunel Escobar's broken-bat single later in the inning scored Vazquez.

"Walks are killing me," Maine said.

But Maine said he was able to slow himself down afterward, and he cruised into the sixth. In his final inning, with the Mets having taken a 4-3 lead, he again ran into difficulty.

Maine issued his sixth walk, a one-out free pass to Brandon Jones, which pushed Casey Kotchman to second. Ross then tried to catch the Mets off guard with a bunt for a base hit down the third-base line. But Wright charged, barehanded the Baseball and retired him at first. With two runners in scoring position, Maine completed a 101-pitch outing by striking out Schafer.