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Perez faces old team as Mets go for sweep

Jul 26, 2007 - 1:22 PM Pittsburgh (41-58) at Ny Mets (57-43) 12:10 pm EDT

FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) - Oliver Perez will have some extra adrenaline when he takes the mound against his former team as the New York Mets look to complete a three-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday.

Perez (9-6, 3.00 ERA) is enjoying a renaissance in New York after being dealt here at the trade deadline last season.

The 25-year-old lefthander spent 3 1/2 seasons with the Pirates before he was acquired by the Mets for outfielder Xavier Nady and reliever Roberto Hernandez. Perez compiled a 19-18 record during his tenure with Pittsburgh. He was just 2-10 at the time of last season's trade, and finished the campaign 3-13 with a 6.55 ERA.

Now Perez is a key member of a Mets' rotation that is third in the National League with a 3.88 team ERA. Perez is aiming for his third straight win.

Tom Glavine threw six solid innings and Paul Lo Duca drove in four runs in a 6-3 win on Wednesday. Carlos Beltran was scratched from the lineup with an oblique strain .

As for the Pirates, they have lost 10 of 11 since the All-Star break and lost their best starter, Tom Gorzelanny in Wednesday's game due to left shoulder stiffness.

Paul Maholm (6-12, 4.57), who has beaten the Mets two straight starts, takes the hill for Pittsburgh. Maholm is one loss away from tying St. Louis' Kip Wells for the major league lead. The righthander beat Houston on Saturday by allowing just two runs and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings.