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Votto, Reds bring hot bats to Shea

May 9, 2008 - 12:40 PM Cincinnati (14-21) at NY Mets (17-15) 7:10 pm EDT

FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) - Rookie Joey Votto aims to stay hot in one of the more pitcher-friendly parks on Friday as the Cincinnati Reds visit the New York Mets in the opener of a three-game series.

Votto, who blasted three of the Reds' seven home runs in a 9-0 victory over Chicago on Wednesday, will try and help Cincinnati put an and to a five-game road losing streak.

Votto and the Reds may not have quite as much success in Shea, which as long been considered a pitchers' safe haven.

As for the Mets, they are coming off one of their best offensive outputs of the season. Ryan Church homered and drove in three runs, and David Wright had a two-run double as New York rolled to a 13-1 victory over Los Angeles on Wednesday.

Mike Pelfrey (2-2, 5.27 ERA), who has been inconsistent this season, would like to see the Mets to continue to swing the bats well. Pelfrey is 0-2 with a 8.22 ERA in his last three starts.

The Reds will counter with Matt Belilse (1-2, 6.91), who allowed two runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings of a 9-1 loss to Atlanta on Friday.