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Mets, Reds set for rubber match

May 11, 2008 - 1:24 PM Cincinnati (15-22) at NY Mets (18-16) 1:10 pm EDT

FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- After splitting a day-night doubleheader, the New York Mets and the Cincinnati Reds will square off in the finale of a three-game series Sunday.

Carlos Beltran had a season-best five RBI Saturday in the opener as the Mets cruised to a 12-6 victory.

Carlos Delgado and Brian Schneider hit back-to-back solo home runs in the seventh for New York, which was denied its third straight win in the night game.

Scott Hatteberg had three hits and drove in three runs and former Mets farmhand Jeff Keppinger posted a career-high five hits and scored twice in Cincinnati's 7-1 triumph.

Looking for similar success Sunday, the Reds will send rookie Johnny Cueto (2-3, 5.27 ERA) to the mound.

The 22-year-old Cueto snapped a three-game losing streak in his last outing, a 5-3 win over the Chicago Cubs on Monday. The hard-throwing Dominican righthander pitched six innings, yielding three runs, six hits and two walks while striking out eight.

He will be opposed by Oliver Perez (2-3, 4.63), who is looking to avoid his fourth loss in as many starts. The Mexican lefthander was tagged for five runs and six hits with two walks during Monday's 5-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.