• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Pelfrey, Mets look to avoid sixth straight loss

Sep 19, 2007 - 2:03 PM NY Mets (83-67) at Washington (68-83) 7:05 pm EDT

WASHINGTON (Ticker) - Things cannot get much worse right now for the New York Mets.

Rookie Mike Pelfrey takes the mound as the Mets try and avoid being swept by the lowly Washington Nationals in the finale of a three-game series on Wednesday.

New York, which has dropped a season-high five straight games, has seen its lead over the Philadelphia Phillies (82-69) in the National League East drop to just 1 1/2 games. Just a week ago, the advantage was seven games.

Looking to turn around their slide, the Mets held a closed door meeting before Tuesday's game. It did not work as New York blew an early four-run lead for the second consecutive night en route to a 9-8 loss.

No team in history has failed to win the division after having a lead of at least seven games on September 12 or later.

Pelfrey (2-7, 5.23 ERA) will try and help the Mets avoid losing even more ground to the Phillies. Pelfrey is making the start to give Pedro Martinez an extra day's rest. The righthander was bumped from the rotation when Martinez returned from rotator cuff surgery on September 3.

Pelfrey last started on September 7, and allowed two runs and 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings of an 11-3 win over the Houston Astros.

Meanwhile, rookie Matt Chico (5-8, 4.61) gets the ball for Washington, which has won three of four games and eight of 10 here. Chico is winless in his last six starts, and is 1-1 with a 5.59 ERA in two starts against the Mets.