Flushing, NY (Best E Casino) - Mike Pelfrey threw eight shutout innings to win his career-best sixth consecutive start, and the New York Mets hit the All-Star break with a nine-game winning streak, crushing the Colorado Rockies, 7-0, at Shea Stadium.

Carlos Beltran had three hits, including a three-run homer, and Carlos Delgado added a two-run shot for the Mets, who have posted their longest winning streak since a nine-game run from April 16-25, 2000, the year they reached the World Series before losing to the Yankees. The current string is two shy of a franchise record, as the Mets last won 11 in a row during the 1990 season.

"We're playing good," said Beltran. "We're doing things right. We're pitching, we're hitting, we're getting hits with two outs. When you're capable of doing that you're going to win ball games."

With Sunday's victory, the Mets (51-44) remained a half-game behind Philadelphia for first place in the NL East. The Phillies beat Arizona, 6-3, earlier Sunday.

This was New York's fourth shutout in six games, the best stretch for the team since 1969, the year of their first World Series championship.

Interim manager Jerry Manuel has engineered a big turnaround for the Mets, who have posted a 17-9 record since the firing of Willie Randolph. During the sweep of a six-game homestand against the Giants and Rockies, the Mets outscored their opponents, 31-4.

Pelfrey (8-6) allowed six hits and fanned five without walking a batter. He exited after throwing 119 pitches, 81 for strikes, and remained unbeaten in his last nine outings, last losing May 26 to Florida.

"When I go out there I always have high expectations for myself," said Pelfrey. "I expect a lot of myself. I never imagined it like this, not that I wasn't capable of it."

The 24-year-old right-hander was in total control, so much that the Rockies didn't even hit a ball in the air for an out until Clint Barmes popped out to end the sixth. By then, Colorado grounded into three double plays.

Over his last three starts, spanning 22 innings, Pelfrey has limited opponents to one total run.

Omar Quintanilla doubled to record the lone extra-base hit for the defending National League champions, who have lost four in a row and stand at 39-57 at the All-Star break, 8 1/2 games behind first-place Arizona in the NL West. Brad Hawpe had two hits for the Rockies, who have been outscored 23-2 during their current skid.

Mark Redman (2-5) was touched for five runs on eight hits in 3 1/3 innings to suffer the loss. The lefty is 0-4 over his last seven appearances.

Coming into Sunday night, the Mets had held their opponent to three hits in five consecutive games to become the first team in modern baseball history to achieve that feat. Colorado recorded seven hits in the finale of the three- game series and was outscored 12-1 over the weekend.

"One run in three games you wouldn't expect we could win," said Rockies manager Clint Hurdle. "Give them credit, they're hot, they're playing good ball."

Nick Evans singled with one out in the first, and after David Wright walked Beltran drilled a pitch from Redman over the wall in left field for his 15th homer of the season.

The Mets padded their lead in the next inning as Ramon Castro singled with one out, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Pelfrey and scored on a Jose Reyes base hit up the middle.

"They were hitting good pitches up the middle," said Redman. "I need to recognize that and pitch in."

New York loaded the bases with one out in the fourth when the Rockies replaced Redman with Ryan Speier. Evans lofted a sacrifice fly to right-center to drive in Fernando Tatis for a 5-0 margin.

Beltran singled to start the fifth, and one out later Delgado tattooed a Speier pitch over the fence in right-center for his 17th homer of the year.

Pelfrey worked out of trouble in the eighth. He hit Yorvit Torrealba with a pitch, and with two outs pinch-hitter Jayson Nix singled. Scott Podsednik then fouled out to third baseman Wright to end the threat.

Joe Smith pitched the ninth inning for the Mets.

Game Notes

During the time Pelfrey was in the game, the Rockies had four fly outs, 15 groundouts and five strikeouts...The Mets will next play at Cincinnati in a four-game series, starting Thursday. The Rockies will host Pittsburgh in a four-game set, also beginning Thursday...Redman is 1-5 lifetime against the Mets...Colorado is a major league-worst 14-36 on the road this season and the Rockies have dropped 11 of their last 13 as the visitor. The Rockies have also had major troubles in Shea Stadium over the years, as the Mets have won 18 of their last 20 matchups with Colorado in New York...The Mets have outscored their opponents 52-14 in Pelfrey's last six starts...The Mets haven't had a pitcher throw a complete game all season...New York's bullpen has not allowed a run in its last 19 1/3 innings...Delgado has clubbed six home runs and driven in 17 runs in his last 17 games. Since July 1st, he's hitting .367, raising his average to a current .248.