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Mets look to pound Zito for sixth straight win

Jul 10, 2008 - 11:07 AM San Francisco (39-52) at Ny Mets (47-44) 1:10 pm. EDT

FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- The Mets hope Barry Zito's struggles continue as they aim for a season-high sixth straight win in the finale of a three-game series with the San Francisco Giants on Thursday.

In need of a top-line starter, New York flirted with the notion of signing Zito after the 2006 season, but did not want to give the lefty a seven-year contract. San Francisco obliged and signed the 2002 American League Cy Young Award winner to a then-record $126 million deal, one that hasn't panned out.

Zito went 11-13 with a 4.53 ERA in 2007. This season has been a disaster as Zito (4-12, 5.73 ERA) did not earn his first win until May 23, and is tied with Oakland's Joe Blanton for the most losses in baseball.

On the bright side, Zito is coming off his best outing of the season. The nine-year veteran held the Los Angeles Dodgers to two runs and six hits in seven innings of a 5-2 victory on Saturday. Zito notched season-highs in innings and strikeouts (10).

Slowing the red-hot Mets will be a challenge. New York, which has not won six straight since a seven-game surge from August 17-24, 2006, has scored 63 runs over its last nine games. On Wednesday, Ramon Castro hit a three-run homer and Johan Santana threw five strong innings in a 5-0 victory.

John Maine (8-6, 3.91) takes the mound looking to shake off an injury that cut his last start short. Maine left Saturday's 9-4 win over Philadelphia with a strained left forearm after 5 2/3 innings. The righthander allowed one hit - a three-run homer to Ryan Howard. Maine is 2-2 with a 4.03 ERA over his last four starts..