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Cubs-Mets Preview

Apr 21, 2010 - 4:47 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Chicago (5-8) at New York (5-8), 7:10 p.m. EDT

Expectations for Carlos Silva and Oliver Perez were very low entering 2010. Both pitchers, however, have shown signs of regaining the form that earned them big contracts.

Silva and Perez are set to start Wednesday night when the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets continue their series at Citi Field.

Silva (1-0, 0.69 ERA) has so far performed like the pitcher who won 24 games over the 2006 and '07 seasons with Minnesota, allowing one earned run in 13 innings over two starts. He limited Houston to two unearned runs in seven innings of a 7-2 win Friday.

Silva's strong pitching has been critical for a Cubs team that has moved him into the rotation in place of an injured Ted Lilly. He has been much more than Chicago (5-9) could have expected after acquiring him from Seattle for outfielder Milton Bradley in an exchange of struggling players with hefty contracts.

"He's pitched great," first baseman Derrek Lee told the team's official website about Silva, who went 5-18 with a 6.81 ERA in two years with the Mariners after signing a four-year, $48 million deal after the '08 season. "He threw a lot of strikes, had a good pace. He's looked great. That's the Carlos Silva I remember facing when he was with the Phillies (in '02 and '03)."

Perez (0-1, 3.75) has also shown signs of re-establishing himself as a solid starter, holding opponents to a .190 batting average and no homers over two starts. He yielded one run and four hits in 6 1-3 innings before the bullpen gave up three runs in the seventh of a 4-3 loss at St. Louis on Friday.

Perez went 3-4 with a 6.82 ERA last year while being limited to 14 starts due to injuries. He won 25 games over the '07 and '08 seasons before signing a three-year, $36 million contract.

Perez is part of a Mets rotation that has been outstanding of late. The starters have posted a 0.95 ERA over the last six games, winning four.

Mike Pelfrey provided the latest excellent outing Tuesday, yielding three hits in seven innings of a 4-0 victory as New York (6-8) took the first two games of the four-game series.

Chicago has managed 12 hits, six runs and a .207 average during a season-high four-game losing streak.

"Unfortunately, things are not going the way we expected them," said right-hander Carlos Zambrano, who took the loss Tuesday. "But it's early and we have plenty of time to turn this around."

Perez will be trying to beat Chicago for the first time since April 24, 2003. He has gone 0-3 with a 6.39 ERA in six starts versus the Cubs since then.

Silva has made one start against the Mets, giving up four runs and 10 hits in six innings of an 8-1 road loss June 18, 2007. He has faced New York 16 times and posted an 8.84 ERA.