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Rockies-Mets Preview

Jul 28, 2009 - 4:12 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Colorado (54-44) at New York (46-51), 7:10 p.m. EDT

The New York Mets appear to be putting a bizarre distraction behind them, putting together their longest winning streak in two months thanks to some improved hitting.

They'll have to contend with a healthy Jason Marquis on Tuesday night when they continue a four-game series with the Colorado Rockies.

The Mets (47-51) are coming off Monday's 7-3 win over Colorado (54-45), as Fernando Tatis hit a pinch-hit grand slam in the eighth.

The victory came hours after general manager Omar Minaya said vice president of player development Tony Bernazard was dismissed for several high-profile incidents, including an argument with closer Francisco Rodriguez.

That announcement came during a strange press conference that featured Minaya questioning the motives of New York Daily News beat writer Adam Rubin, who had reported on the recent turmoil and who Minaya said had lobbied him for a job. Rubin called the allegation "deplorable" and said he had merely asked Minaya and Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon for career advice.

"Once the game starts and we get to competing against the opponent, I don't think those things for a moment factor into what we do," Mets manager Jerry Manuel said. "We can't waver for a second in what we do."

The Mets have won three straight, their longest winning streak since a four-game run from May 25-29.

They've scored 25 runs while hitting .308 with five homers during the current run after a 2-6 stretch that included a .220 average with two homers and 20 runs.

New York will try to continue its hot hitting against Marquis (12-6, 3.49 ERA), who is tied with San Francisco's Matt Cain for the league lead in wins.

The right-hander was scheduled to start opposite Cain on Friday, but a blister on the middle finger of his pitching hand forced him to miss the matchup and the Rockies lost 3-1.

The blister originally flared up during Colorado's 5-3 win over Seattle on June 13. However, it hasn't been much of an obstacle in six starts since, as he's gone 4-2 with a 2.93 ERA.

Marquis altered his delivery in his last start on July 19, yielding only one run and five hits in eight innings of a 6-1 win at San Diego.

He threw a bullpen session Sunday and feels the finger has improved.

"The big thing with me is as long as I don't have to alter my mechanics and take away from my pitches, that's what I'm looking for," Marquis told the Rockies' official Web site. "The way it felt, can I say it's 100 percent? No, it's not 100 percent.

"But I threw my sinker for the first time in two weeks with my normal grip. So that's a good sign. I've still got two days, but I'm ready to go physically, and we'll take it from there, start-by-start."

Marquis, a native of Manhasset, N.Y., will make his first career start at Citi Field. He's 6-5 with a 4.52 ERA in 21 games - 14 starts - against the Mets.

New York will give the ball to Mike Pelfrey (7-6, 4.99), who is 1-3 with an 8.02 ERA in his last four starts. He's lost back-to-back outings for the first time since dropping six straight from April 25-May 26, 2008.

The right-hander allowed three runs and six hits in seven innings of a 3-1 loss at Washington on Wednesday. That performance, though, was a vast improvement from his outing five days earlier when he was tagged for nine runs and nine hits, including two homers, in 4 1-3 innings of an 11-0 loss at Atlanta.

Pelfrey is 2-1 with a 3.24 ERA in three starts against Colorado, winning his last two while throwing 13 2-3 scoreless innings.