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Sliding Mets hope Martinez can slow Cubs

Sep 25, 2008 - 10:04 AM Chi Cubs (96-61) at NY Mets (87-71) 7:10 p.m. EDT

FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- The New York Mets can't seem to escape their past, while Pedro Martinez wished he could go back in time.

The struggling righthander takes the mound against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday looking to help the Mets keep pace in the National League wild-card race.

New York fell into a tie with Milwaukee (87-71) for the wild-card lead on Wednesday, as it dropped a 9-6 decision in 10 innings. The Mets, who are 1 1/2 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East, wasted a leadoff triple by rookie Daniel Murphy in the ninth and went 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position.

It was a crushing loss for New York, which is still battling the demons of last September when it blew a seven-game lead with 17 to play. It seems to be happening again. The Mets held a 3 1/2-game lead in the NL East at the start of this month.

"This is not what we scripted," Delgado said of the missed opportunities on Wednesday. "We let it slip through our hands."

"At this juncture, this is our toughest defeat, no question," Mets manager Jerry Manuel said.

A big reason for the Mets' late-season struggles has been the bullpen. New York relievers have blown a franchise-record tying 29 saves. Oliver Perez did not do them any favors, lasting 4 1/3 innings and forcing the Mets to use five relievers in the loss.

Things don't figure to get any better with Martinez (5-6, 5.50 ERA) on the hill. The 36-year-old is a shell of the pitcher that won three Cy Young Awards and helped the Boston Red Sox to a World Series championship in 2004.

Martinez is looking to avoid a fourth straight loss after being reached for four runs and nine hits in six innings of a 4-2 loss to Atlanta on Saturday. The Cubs, who have clinched home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, counter with Rich Harden (5-1, 1.66).

Harden threw 115 pitches in his last start, and will probably be limited in this one. The righthander allowed one run and one hit in five innings, but did not receive a decision in a 7-6 win over Milwaukee on last Thursday.