NEW YORK – Damion Easley’s home run in the eighth inning carried the New York Mets past the Colorado Rockies 2-1 on Friday night, their seventh straight win.

Easley hit his third homer of the season on a 3-2 pitch from reliever Taylor Buchholz (3-3) with two outs. Closer Billy Wagner worked a perfect ninth for his 21st save in 27 chances.

The Mets have won seven straight for the first time since Aug. 17-24, 2006. They held an opponent to three hits for the fourth straight game.

Pedro Feliciano (2-2) worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the eighth for the victory.

The Rockies loaded the bases in the sixth, seventh and eighth, but couldn’t get any runs out of it.

Easley was 2-for-3 with a walk and the homer was his first since June 18.

Mets starter Oliver Perez gave up one run and two hits in six-plus innings, walking six and striking out seven.

AP-ES-07-11-08 2214EDT