Reds-Mets game postponed by rain, will be made up Saturday

The scheduled game between the Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets was postponed because of rain Friday night.

It will be made up Saturday as part of a day-night doubleheader, with start times of 1:10 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Johan Santana is slated to pitch the opener for New York against Matt Belisle, with Mike Pelfrey getting the ball in Game 2 against Reds right-hander Bronson Arroyo.

Belisle and Pelfrey had been the scheduled starters Friday.

The game was called after a delay of about 55 minutes. Long before that, Cincinnati slugger Ken Griffey Jr. was pulled from the starting lineup because of an illness. He was to be replaced in right field by Ryan Freel.

Also, Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips was sidelined with a sore left calf, sustained on a foul ball Wednesday. Cincinnati manager Dusty Baker said Phillips might have been available to pinch hit.

The Mets also planned to shuffle their lineup, dropping slumping slugger Carlos Delgado to the No. 7 spot. It would have been the first time Delgado batted that low since Sept. 30, 1995, with Toronto against the New York Yankees, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Delgado is hitting .216 with four homers and 16 RBIs. He has 23 strikeouts in 116 at-bats.

In other news, Pedro Martinez threw nearly 60 pitches at New York's spring training complex in Florida, but the Mets still have no timetable for when the injured right-hander might return to the team.

Martinez has been on the disabled list since straining his left hamstring April 2 during his only start of the season, at the Florida Marlins.

Both teams made roster moves Friday.

The Mets activated backup catcher Ramon Castro from the 15-day disabled list and designated catcher Raul Casanova for assignment.

Cincinnati placed reliever Kent Mercker on the 15-day disabled list due to lower back pain and recalled left-hander Bill Bray from Triple-A Louisville.

Freel had been slated to bat second Friday night. Center fielder Corey Patterson was dropped from leadoff to Griffey's No. 3 spot in the lineup, and second baseman Jerry Hairston Jr. moved up one spot to leadoff.