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Jul 10, 2009 - 5:35 AM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Writer

Cincinnati (41-42) at New York (40-43), 7:10 p.m. EDT

The New York Mets continue to show minimal offensive punch with a few major parts of their lineup on the disabled list, and the Cincinnati Reds' problems this week certainly didn't improve the Mets' situation in the NL East.

Perhaps a visit from the Reds will help the Mets gain some momentum going into the All-Star break, as the two struggling clubs open a three-game set Friday night at Citi Field.

After Thursday night's 11-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the fourth-place Mets dropped a season-high 5 1/2 games behind division-leading Philadelphia. They've lost 10 of 13, scoring two or fewer runs nine times.

Rookie Fernando Martinez joined Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado on the disabled list Friday, before New York (40-44) stranded nine men on base against the Dodgers.

"We've got a room full of guys who have been in tough times before," third baseman David Wright said. "We have to turn this thing around and we are confident we can do it."

It didn't help that the Reds (41-43) dropped three of four to the Phillies this week, getting outscored 37-13 largely due to Monday's 22-1 drubbing. They lost 9-6 Thursday, wasting their highest run total in 10 games and Brandon Phillips' third home run in his last three contests.

"It's just disheartening," Reds manager Dusty Baker told his team's official Web site. "We should have at least come out of here with a split."

Cincinnati is in fifth place but is still closer to the top of its division than the Mets, 4 1/2 games behind first-place St. Louis in the NL Central.

If the Reds want to move closer, they will likely need an improved outing from Bronson Arroyo, who is coming off three straight disastrous starts. The right-hander is 0-3 with a 10.29 ERA over that span, with opponents hitting .426 against him, including six home runs in 14 innings.

"I've been through worse stretches," Arroyo said. "That's just the way it goes. I have no excuses other than the fact that this game isn't easy."

Arroyo (8-8, 5.85 ERA) beat the Mets in his first start of the season April 9 despite allowing five runs in six innings of an 8-6 win. Since joining the Reds, he's 4-1 with a 2.93 ERA in six starts against New York.

He'll be facing Fernando Nieve, another right-hander who's been struggling lately. Nieve (3-2, 2.73) won his first three starts, lowering his ERA to 1.31, but he has dropped his last two, allowing six earned runs and 17 hits in nine innings.

He walked six in a loss at Philadelphia on Saturday, but will hope a return to Queens helps. In two home starts, he has allowed six hits and one run in 12 innings.

Playing at their pitching-friendly new park has certainly not helped New York's hitters lately. The Mets have dropped five of six at home, totaling 10 runs in those games, including two shutout losses.

This will be the Reds' first visit to Citi Field. They lost two of three to the Mets at home to open the season.