(Best E Casino) - Right-hander John Maine tries for a second straight 2008 defeat of Arizona tonight when the New York Mets host the visiting Diamondbacks to start a three-game series at Shea Stadium.

Maine, an unlikely 15-game winner for the Mets last season, defeated Arizona, 7-2, on May 2 in Phoenix, allowing six hits and two runs over six innings while walking two and striking out six.

He's 2-1 in three career starts against the Diamondbacks with a 2.50 earned run average.

Maine is 4-2 with a no-decision in his last seven starts, including a 5-3 win at San Francisco on June 4, in which he surrendered seven hits and an earned run in six innings.

Arizona right-hander Micah Owings was a loser in the May 2 meeting with Maine and the Mets.

The 6-foot-5, 220-pounder was touched for 10 hits and six earned runs in that outing, the second of his career against New York.

He's 2-3 overall in six starts since, including a 10-1 loss at Milwaukee on June 4 in which he was touched for eight hits and four earned runs in just three innings.

Owings is 3-2 in six road starts in 2008.

On Monday in Pittsburgh, Luis Rivas drove in two runs and scored another as the Pirates earned a 5-3 victory over the Diamondbacks to gain a split of a four-game series at PNC Park.

Mark Reynolds went 3-for-4 with a home run, two doubles and two runs scored to lead the Arizona offense.

Randy Johnson (4-3) allowed five runs -- four earned -- on six hits and five walks for Arizona, which has lost five of seven.

On Sunday in San Diego, Tony Clark slammed a pinch-hit, three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning that gave the Padres an 8-6 win over New York and completed a four-game sweep.

Billy Wagner (0-1) took the loss after giving up the Clark homer and blew his third save of the season.

Pedro Martinez, making his second start since coming off the disabled list, gave up four runs on 10 hits in five innings of work.

He also struck out four and walked none for the Mets, who finished their road trip with a 2-5 mark.

Carlos Delgado went 3-for-5 with a triple, double and two RBI for New York.

The Mets took two of three from the D'Backs earlier in the season in Arizona.