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Johan Santana gets pounded in first start after no-no

New York Mets v New York Yankees

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 08: Johan Santana #57 of the New York Mets reacts after giving up a homerun to Nick Swisher #33 of the New York Yankees (not pictured) in the fourth-inning at Yankee Stadium on June 8, 2012 in the Bronx borough of New York City. Yankees defeated the Mets 9-1. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

Mike Stobe

Someone did in fact flirt with a no-no in the Bronx tonight, but it wasn’t Johan Santana after he threw 134 pitches last week in the first no-hitter in Mets history. Hiroki Kuroda held the Mets hitless for 5 2/3 innings Friday in the Yankees’ 9-1 victory.

Santana, who had thrown back-to-back shutouts against the Padres and Cardinals, was lit up for six runs in five innings in this one. He surrendered four homers, matching his total for the season entering the night.

Robinson Cano hit two of the four homers, giving him 11 on the season. Cano, Nick Swisher and Andruw Jones went back-to-back-to-back off Santana with two outs in the third inning.

Still, it was Kuroda who shined brightest in this one, facing the minimum for 5 2/3 before Omar Quintanilla doubled into the left-center gap. It was the only hit he allowed on the night before a bruised foot forced him to depart after the seventh.

As for Santana, he had his typical velocity tonight after getting a couple of extra days of rest, but not his location, as he left too many pitches up in the strike zone. He’s now 3-3 with a 2.96 ERA in 12 starts this season.