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Diamondbacks-Mets Preview

Jul 30, 2010 - 8:10 PM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Arizona (37-65) at New York (52-50), 7:10 p.m. EDT

David Wright is expected back in the lineup for the New York Mets after a routine day off. He'll be facing an opponent that he struggled against less than two weeks ago in an embarrassing sweep.

The All-Star third baseman will be back in his customary cleanup slot for Friday night's opener of a three-game home set against the lowly Arizona Diamondbacks, who have lost seven straight.

Manager Jerry Manuel gave Wright off on Thursday as the Mets beat St. Louis 4-0. Wright is 8 for 36 with 12 strikeouts over his last nine games, although he had three hits in Wednesday's loss.

"I thought today would be a good day to give David a breather," Manuel told the team's official website. "He didn't really get a break during the All-Star Game. I think the legs a little bit seem a bit fatigued."

Wright's poor stretch began when he went 2 for 12 in a three-game sweep by Arizona (37-65) from July 19-21. That was part of a disastrous 2-9 road trip for New York (52-50).

The Mets took two of three from the Cardinals after returning home, winning Thursday after a difficult 8-7, 13-inning loss the night before.

"We lost a heartbreaker yesterday. The propensity is to pout about it or mope about it," starter R.A. Dickey said. "You really saw the character of this team today."

Angel Pagan had a big series against St. Louis with five hits in 11 at-bats and five runs scored. The left fielder hit well in Arizona, going 6 for 13 with two homers.

Mets pitchers had trouble in that series against Justin Upton, who went 6 for 13 with five extra-base hits. Upton returned to the lineup Thursday after missing a game due to tightness in his right hip, and doubled to extend his hitting streak to 14 games in a 3-2, 11-inning loss at Philadelphia.

"He's kind of begged himself in and that's what we're going to go with," manager Kirk Gibson told the Diamondbacks' official website.

Friday's pitching matchup will feature the same starters who began the series at Chase Field in the Diamondbacks' 13-2 rout. The Mets' Mike Pelfrey (10-5, 4.00 ERA) lasted 1 1-3 innings and gave up six runs while Ian Kennedy (5-8, 4.10) won by giving up one run over five innings.

Pelfrey is 0-3 with an 11.40 ERA in his last four starts. He has pinpointed his woes to the first inning, allowing four runs in the opening frame to the Diamondbacks to fall to 0-5 with a 6.75 ERA in six starts against them.

"(In eight of my) last nine starts, I've given up a run in the first inning and I need to find a way of stopping that," Pelfrey said, "whether it's throwing more pitches in the 'pen, I don't know."

Arizona first baseman Adam LaRoche is 6 for 8 against the right-hander.

Pelfrey allowed two runs over five innings Saturday in a 3-2, 13-inning loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Diamondbacks have lost Kennedy's last six road starts, with the right-hander going 0-4 with a 5.35 ERA in that span. He has never pitched at Citi Field.

New York on Friday placed outfielder Jason Bay on the 15-day disabled list with a concussion suffered July 23 when he crashed into the fence during a 6-1 win over the Dodgers in Los Angeles. Bay, who's hit 30 homers four times in his career, has only six in 95 games this year.