(Best E Casino) - All-Star right-hander Edinson Volquez has a chance to give Cincinnati a positive start to the second half today when the Reds close out a four-game series with the visiting New York Mets at Great American Ball Park.

The Mets had won nine straight games heading into the break and made it 10 straight on Thursday, but have since dropped games two and three of the series to the Reds, who have once again climbed within shouting distance of .500.

Volquez was the team's unquestioned, albeit surprising, ace in the first half, winning 12 games, posting a 2.29 earned run average in 117 2/3 innings and striking out 126 batters.

All three totals put him among the leaders in the NL, just one year removed from a 2-1 record and a 4.50 ERA in six starts last season with the Texas Rangers, from whom he was acquired for Home Run Derby star Josh Hamilton.

Volquez, who's never faced the Mets, is 6-0 in nine home starts this season and won his final two starts overall before the break, including a July 6 win over visiting Washington, in which he allowed five hits and three runs in six innings.

He hasn't lost since June 26 at Toronto - the only time in 19 starts in which he's failed to pitch at least five innings.

Former first-round pick Mike Pelfrey begins the second half on a career-best roll for the Mets.

The ninth selection in the 2005 draft was 2-6 with a 5.33 ERA after a 7-3 loss to Florida on May 26, but has since gone 6-0 in nine starts while his ERA has dropped to 3.64.

He didn't allow a run in his final two starts, combining to toss 15 scoreless innings against San Francisco and Colorado while allowing nine hits, walking none and striking out 10.

Pelfrey's lone 2008 start against the Reds came May 10 in New York, when he was tagged for a 7-1 loss after allowing eight hits and two runs in six innings.

Lifetime against Cincinnati, he's 1-1 in three appearances with a 3.38 ERA in 13 1/3 innings.

On Saturday, Joey Votto went 2-for-4 with three runs batted in, highlighted by a two-run triple, as the Reds downed the Mets, 7-2.

Josh Fogg (2-2) held the Mets to two runs -- one earned -- on eight hits in six innings, with one strikeout and one walk. Adam Dunn had an RBI single and scored twice for the Reds, who have cooled the Mets on back-to-back nights, and have won five of seven.

Oliver Perez (6-6) was touched for three runs -- two earned -- on six hits in six frames, with six strikeouts and three walks to take the loss for New York.

Pedro Feliciano gave up four runs on three hits while recording just one out in the seventh, when the Reds pulled away.

David Wright went 3-for-4, homered, and scored twice for New York, which has dropped two straight in Cincinnati after winning 10 in a row.

New York won two of three when these clubs met at Shea Stadium in May. The Mets have also won seven of the last 11 in the series and four of the last seven in Cincinnati.