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El Duque looks to right Mets' ship

Jun 6, 2007 - 3:25 PM Philadelphia (29-29) at NY Mets (35-21) 7:10 pm EDT

FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- Despite holding a 3 1/2 game lead over second-place Atlanta in the National League East, the New York Mets have not playing been playing well of late. On Wednesday, they turn to the one player that has been red-hot.

Orlando Hernandez and the Mets continue their series with the Philadelphia Phillies at Shea Stadium.

Hernandez (3-1, 2.20 ERA) has been spectacular all season long, but especially since his return from the disabled list, allowing just two runs and four hits with a walk and seven strikeouts in his last 13 innings. He is holding opposing batters to a .174 batting average for New York, which has dropped three of its last four games.

The 37-year-old righthander picked up the win on Thursday, yielding only two runs and two hits over seven frames as the Mets downed San Francisco 4-2. He will need to overcome his struggles against Philadelphia, however, as he is 0-1 with an 11.08 ERA in three lifetime starts against the Phillies.

The Phillies will counter with Adam Eaton (5-4, 6.28), who has been very good in his career against the Mets, winning all four of his starts and recording a 1.65 ERA. He has yielded five or more runs in four of his 11 starts.

On Friday, Eaton surrendered five runs and six hits and over a season-low two frames as the Phillies lost 13-0 to the Giants.