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Mets-Dodgers Preview

May 19, 2009 - 7:30 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

New York (21-17) at Los Angeles (27-13), 10:10 p.m. EDT

After struggling for a bit, the Los Angeles Dodgers are starting to adjust to life without slugger Manny Ramirez.

The stumbling New York Mets find themselves in a similar position, as one of their top run producers is expected to be out for a while.

One day after the Mets announced Carlos Delgado would need surgery, New York tries to avoid losing its third consecutive game for the first time in a month as it continues a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night.

Delgado is scheduled to have arthroscopic surgery Tuesday for a bone spur and a torn labrum in his hip. There's no immediate word on when he might return, but New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez had surgery in March for a torn labrum in his hip and missed exactly two months.

Delgado, the Mets' cleanup hitter, has not played since May 10 and was put on the 15-day disabled list Saturday. The two-time All-Star first baseman is hitting .298 with four home runs and 23 RBIs and was 11 for 26 (.423) with a homer, three doubles and seven RBIs in the seven games before he left the lineup - all New York (21-17) victories.

"He's a big part of this ballclub and a big part of this lineup, so we're going to miss him," Carlos Beltran said before Monday's 3-2, 11-inning loss to the Dodgers (27-13).

Delgado's bat and glove were certainly missed Monday.

The Mets had 11 hits but squandered several opportunities, going 0 for 11 with runners in scoring position.

Los Angeles plated the winning run when Jeremy Reed - Delgado's replacement at first - fielded a routine grounder with bases loaded and threw wildly to home, allowing Mark Loretta to score.

Reed's error was one of five for New York in the game. And that doesn't include Ryan Church's mental error for missing third base on what would have been the go-ahead run in the top of the 11th. The Dodgers retired Church on an appeal play for the third out of the inning.

"I just feel terrible," Church said. "I mean, touching the bag is a simple thing to do. But obviously, I didn't. I think it might have turned the momentum a little bit."

The Mets have lost their last two and are 4-4 since Delgado last played. New York hasn't lost three in a row since a season-worst four-game skid from April 19-23.

While the Mets are still trying to get in sync with the loss of Delgado, Los Angeles appears to have found its stride without Ramirez.

The Dodgers have won five of six after losing four of their first five games since Ramirez's 50-game suspension for violating baseball's drug policy on May 7.

Chad Billingsley (5-1, 2.30 ERA) looks to help Los Angeles win its third in a row Tuesday when he takes the ball.

Billingsley, who has allowed three runs or less in all eight starts this season, gave up one run and three hits with nine strikeouts in seven innings of a 5-3, 10-inning win over Philadelphia. The right-hander is sixth in the NL in ERA and has struck out 56 in 54 2-3 innings.

Billingsley went 1-0 with a 0.69 ERA in two starts against the Mets last season, allowing one run in 13 innings in those contests.

New York counters with John Maine (3-2, 4.24), who looks to build off one of his stronger outings of the season.

Maine allowed two runs - both in the first inning - and seven hits in a season-high 6 2-3 innings of a 7-4 win over San Francisco on Thursday, but wasn't a factor in the decision. The right-hander is 3-0 with a 2.19 ERA in his last four starts after giving up 11 runs in 10 2-3 innings in losing his previous two.

Maine was 1-0 with a 3.14 ERA in two starts against the Dodgers last season after going 0-3 with a 5.06 ERA in his first three career starts versus them.