• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Martinez, Mets look to avoid seventh straight loss to Phillies

Sep 15, 2007 - 2:18 PM Philadelphia (78-69) at NY Mets (83-63) 1:10 pm EDT

FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) - The New York Mets hold a sizeable lead in the National League East, but it could get dicey if they can not figure out a way to beat the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Mets aim to snap a six-game losing streak against the Phillies when the two teams continue a three-game series on Saturday.

New York absorbed its latest setback in the series on Friday, a 3-2 loss in 10 innings that dropped its lead to 5 1/2 games over Philadelphia in the NL East.

The Phillies, who swept the Mets in a four-game set from August 27-30, also fell 1 1/2 games back of the San Diego Padres (79-67) in the wild card race.

Pedro Martinez (2-0, 1.80 ERA) will look to stop the bleeding for the Mets as he continues his solid comeback from offseason rotator cuff surgery. In his last start, the three-time Cy Young Award pitcher threw 92 pitches and allowed six hits in five scoreless innings of a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.

Martinez is 7-5 with a 3.36 ERA in 21 appearances - 17 starts - against Philadelphia, and is 2-2 with a 5.46 ERA against them as a member of New York.

Meanwhile, Kyle Lohse (8-12, 4.47), who is unbeaten since being acquired at the trade deadline, gets the ball for Philadelphia.

Lohse is 2-0 with a 4.12 ERA in eight starts with the Phillies. However, he has struggled against the Mets, going 0-1 with a 8.57 ERA in three career starts.