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Mets-Yankees Preview

Jun 19, 2010 - 4:43 AM By JON PALMIERI STATS Editor

New York (38-28) at New York (41-25), 1:05 p.m. EDT

While the majority of their eight-game win streak has come against two of baseball's worst teams, the New York Mets' latest victory left no room for criticism.

The Mets seek a season-high ninth straight win overall and fourth in a row over the rival New York Yankees on Saturday afternoon in the Bronx.

Since dropping the series opener to the visiting Yankees on May 21, the Mets (39-28) are a major league-best 19-5, pulling within one-half game of NL East-leading Atlanta.

Although they started their current run by beating contending San Diego, the Mets' next six wins were against last-place teams Baltimore and Cleveland.

Three straight road games at Yankee Stadium present a far greater challenge, but the Mets were equal to the task Friday night, winning 4-0 to become the first team this season to shut out the defending World Series champs at home.

Hisanori Takahashi and four relievers combined on an eight-hitter, and Angel Pagan had a two-run double for the Mets, enjoying their longest win streak since capturing 10 straight July 5-17, 2008.

"I think it's great. We're showing emotion, we're playing well," right fielder Jeff Francoeur said. "Everybody's kind of firing each other up and we're feeding off that. It's fun to come to the park when you're playing that way."

Takahashi continued a run of excellent performances from the starting rotation. Mets starters are 18-3 with a 2.53 ERA in the last 29 games.

"I can't say enough about our pitching. It's just been incredible," Francoeur said.

The Mets were 8-18 away from home before opening 7-0 on this trip for their longest road win streak since a club-record nine-game run June 7-23, 2006. Winners in nine of 10 in interleague play, they are 11 games over .500 for the first time since Aug. 16, 2008.

The Yankees (41-26) remained tied with Tampa Bay for the AL East lead despite matching a season high with their third straight loss. They've totaled four runs during the skid.

"You're going to go through this and you can't jump off the bridge every time you don't score runs for a couple of days," manager Joe Girardi said.

Getting the offense going Saturday won't be easy against Mike Pelfrey (9-1, 2.39 ERA), who is 5-0 with a 1.65 ERA in his last six starts.

The right-hander continued his breakout season by beating Baltimore on Sunday, allowing three runs and nine hits in six rocky innings of an 11-4 win. He is the fifth pitcher in Mets history to win nine or more games in his first 10 decisions, and the first since Al Leiter in 2000.

Sunday's outing was Pelfrey's worst in a month, as he surrendered more than two runs for the first time since May 12 against Washington.

Pelfrey limited the Yankees to one run over six innings in a 5-3 victory at Citi Field on May 22. He is 2-1 with a 3.94 ERA in three starts versus New York.

The Yankees will counter with a very impressive young right-hander of their own in Phil Hughes (9-1, 3.11), who has won his last four starts.

Hughes cruised through his first five innings Sunday against Houston before running into trouble in the sixth, giving up a two-run single and a two-run homer. He ended up allowing a season high-tying five runs and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings of a 9-5 victory.

The right-hander's lone loss this season came opposite Pelfrey and the Mets on May 22, when he was reached for four runs and eight hits in 5 2-3 innings.