NEW YORK -- Some of the pall so prevalent at Shea Stadium for most of Monday seemed to have dissipated by the time the Mets engaged the Marlins again Tuesday night. The presence of Johan Santana was an element in the improved atmosphere, and when the Mets scored three times in the first inning, Shea Stadium was borderline joyous. By evening's end, it seemed the worst of the previous 16 days -- the losses, gloom and speculation -- never had happened.

Certainly, this performance didn't constitute "business as usual" or "a return to normal," because the last calendar year has redefined each phrase as it applies to the Mets. But this victory against the first-place team had the look and feel of games the Mets won in 2006 and early last season. They didn't crush the Fish, they just beat them with a comprehensive effort, some energy and a different-looking lineup.

The 50th game of the Mets' season now goes by the name Mets 5, Marlins 3. They would prefer to call their second victory in nine games and second after two unbecoming losses "a start" and suggest more is to come. We'll see. Sometimes the greatest challenge is to win one in a row. Now the Mets have done that. A second straight victory Wednesday night would mean a series victory against the first-place team. "It has to start somewhere," Mets manager Willie Randolph said.

Perhaps it began before the game, when Randolph spoke with Carlos Delgado and told him someone else -- namely Damion Easley -- would play first base Tuesday night and maybe Wednesday as well. Perhaps it began when Randolph, his job status no longer a point of conjecture, acted as if his hands had been freed and decided to sit the veteran first baseman, whose occasional defensive indifference had unsettled the manager.

"I told him he has to pick it up," Randolph said after the game, after Delgado had departed and after Easley, Ramon Castro and Fernando Tatis had done the heavy lifting. The manager could have cited Delgado's production against left-handed pitching as his primary reason. Left-hander Andrew Miller started for the Marlins, and Delgado was a .200 hitter against members of Kappa Delta Southpaw.

But Randolph didn't hide behind that number. "His defense played into [the decision]," Randolph said. "He has to pick it up. ... He didn't like what I said. I don't want him to be happy [about] not playing. But he had no choice."

The Marlins starter Wednesday is Scott Olsen, who is quite left-handed. And Easley drove in one run and scored one in four plate appearances. Moreover, the Mets won. Why change? We'll see.

Randolph offered no explanation for Castro and Tatis starting. Their situations are different from what had developed at first base. Brian Schneider had two hits in his most recent 27 at-bats. He was batting .225 against left-handed pitching, but he probably will catch tomorrow. And with Ryan Church still unable to play because of concussion symptoms, Tatis was in right field and likely to be there again Wednesday.

All this and rookie Nick Evans in left. It was a most uncommon Mets lineup, an observation that prompted Randolph to say, "Give me players, players who want to play."

Castro and Tatis had two hits and two RBIs each. And other players talked about the energy they saw throughout the lineup.

"I think we looked sharper today," David Wright said. "We had positive energy."

Some of it came from Santana, of course. He put his record at 6-3 with another good-enough, not-great performance. He allowed eight hits, one a bases-empty home run by Cody Ross, and two walks and struck out seven in seven innings. The Mets have won seven of his past eight starts.

"He's a tremendous stopper," Wright said. "He wins. That's what Johan does."

Some energy may have come from another less traditional source, a five-button front, tiger lily orange jacket -- the top to a suit, believe it or not -- left behind in 2003 by Jeromy Burnitz. The former outfielder bequeathed the suit to trainer Mike Herbst, who has not seen fit to discard it. Before Tuesday, no one could recall anyone wearing it since Burnitz's departure except for Pedro Martinez.

He wore it -- and nothing more -- at times to bring positive energy to the clubhouse.

It was worn Tuesday by Jay Horwitz, the club's long-time media relations director, now vice president. Santana insisted Horwitz wear the jacket or he'd refuse to pitch. At least that's what he said.

"So I had to wear it," Horwitz said. He identified it as "a slump buster," and for one night it had the desired effect. He intends to wear it again Wednesday. Why change?

"We got energy from that," Easley said.

"It looks good on him," Santana lied.

"We'll try anything," Billy Wagner said. "Taste never gets in the way."

Easley said the whole team would wear orange jackets "if that's what it takes."

Santana said: "I'm not superstitious, but ..."

The jacket is another "we'll see" for a team that knows a reversal -- one that lasts more than two games -- is required. If looking like a Syracuse mascot or a Jay-o-lantern is necessary, so be it. It's better than looking like an also-ran team. "And it does add some color," Easley said.

"Should we order some?" Randolph wanted to know.

The manager hoped his team had found something, color unknown, Tuesday night. He thought he saw a trace of what he called "hunter mentality" as his fourth-place players dealt with the first-place Fish.

"You get the feeling we might be doing some hunting," Randolph said. "We've been the hunted, and we didn't handle it as well as we should have. Maybe we'll be better this way."