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Dodgers-Mets Preview

Apr 28, 2010 - 5:09 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Los Angeles (8-10) at New York (10-9), 1:10 p.m. EDT

An offensive burst gave the New York Mets their first doubleheader sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers in almost 39 years.

Another strong showing at the plate Wednesday could be enough to help the Mets to their first series sweep of the Dodgers since 1995.

New York (12-9) entered this series hitting .239 with one homer during a four-game winning streak. Following a rainout Monday, the Mets collected 19 hits with three doubles, two triples and a homer to beat Los Angeles 4-0 in the opener of a doubleheader before completing the sweep with a 10-5 victory.

The Mets, who hadn't taken a twinbill from the Dodgers since Aug. 28, 1971, are now in position to sweep a three-game series from them for the first time since Aug. 18-20, 1995 at Shea Stadium.

"We're playing with a lot of confidence right now," right fielder Jeff Francoeur said.

The Mets have won six straight, their longest since a seven-game run from May 4-10.

David Wright accumulated four hits and four RBIs Tuesday to see his batting average increase 39 points to .261. The third baseman also matched his RBI total from the previous eight games, during which he went 4 for 26.

The Mets' John Maine (0-1, 8.64) gets a fifth chance at his first win after seeing his last outing cut short due to muscle spasms and pain in his left elbow. The right-hander missed three months last year with a tired pitching shoulder, and had to leave a start in 2008 with the unusual, opposite-elbow issue.

Maine appeared to be putting together his best game of the season Friday, allowing one run and four hits before the injury forced him to exit with two outs in the third inning. New York went on to beat Atlanta 5-2.

"It's one thing after another. I can't get going," Maine told the Mets' official website.

Maine, who owns the highest ERA in the rotation, has failed to reach the sixth inning in each of his four starts while allowing opponents to hit .352 with four homers. He is 1-4 with a 4.54 ERA in six starts against Los Angeles.

While trying to snap a season-high three-game slide, the Dodgers are hitting .208 during a 1-5 stretch without left fielder Manny Ramirez, who is on the disabled list with a right calf strain.

Matt Kemp has gone 5 for 25 with no homers or RBIs over the last six games. The center fielder leads Los Angeles with seven homers and 20 RBIs.

"We have to play better. It's as simple as that," manager Joe Torre said. "We need to get better and we need to win three or four in a row to get that inner-confidence back."

The Dodgers are expected to recall John Ely from Triple-A Albuquerque to make his major league debut in place of Vicente Padilla, who landed on the disabled list Sunday with a sore right forearm.

The 23-year-old Ely was acquired with fellow right-hander Jon Link from the Chicago White Sox for left fielder Juan Pierre in the offseason. He went 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA in three starts for Albuquerque after going 14-2 with a 2.82 ERA at Double-A Birmingham last year.