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Mets looking to feast on bottom feeders, host Pirates

Aug 11, 2008 - 1:39 PM Pittsburgh (53-64) at Ny Mets (62-55) 1:10 pm. EDT

FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- The New York Mets hope to take advantage of a favorable schedule over the next week in order to gain ground in the National League East.

It starts on Monday when Pedro Martinez takes the hill against lowly Pittsburgh Pirates in a make-up game - the first of five meetings between the teams in the next eight days.

New York, which trails Philadelphia (64-53) by two games in the East, opens a three-game series against the last-place Washington Nationals on Tuesday, and then travels to Pittsburgh for a four-game set on Friday. The two teams have a combined record of 97-138.

Needless to say, it is a prime opportunity for the Mets to put pressure on the Phillies. They hope that Martinez (3-3, 5.79 ERA) can build off a solid effort and pick up his first win since July 7. The 36-year-old righthander allowed three runs - two earned - and four hits in 6 1/3 innings of a 4-2 loss to San Diego on Wednesday.

A three-time Cy Young Award winner, Martinez is 9-4 with a 2.97 ERA in 19 games - 15 starts - vs. the Pirates.

The Pirates, who lost two of three to Philadelphia, send Zach Duke to the hill. Duke (4-10, 5.13) suffered his fifth straight loss on Tuesday despite allowing two runs and four hits in seven innings of a 3-1 setback to Arizona. The lefthander is winless since July 9 - a span of 10 starts.