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New York Mets open their first series as sole leaders of the National League's East Division tonight, when they host the
St. Louis Cardinals in the first of three weekend games at Shea Stadium.
New York, which fought through mediocre play and a managerial switch, got back to the top of the division Thursday with a 3-1 victory over Philadelphia. The Mets posted two wins in a three-game series with the Phillies and provided a one-game edge in the standings.
Carlos Delgado's two-run double in the eighth inning provided the winning margin and David Wright knocked in the other run for the Mets, who managed just four hits as a team.
Oliver Perez allowed a run on six hits and struck out a season-high 12 in 7 2/3 innings but didn't factor in the decision. Aaron Heilman (1-3) retired one batter to earn the win, while Billy Wagner notched his 26th save.
Mike Pelfrey takes the mound for New York against the Cardinals and will try to prolong an unbeaten streak that stretches back to late May.
Pelfrey was 2-6 on the season after a 7-3 loss to Florida on May 26, but is unbeaten in 10 starts since, going 6-0 and watching his earned run average plummet from 5.33 to 3.81.
He got a no-decision at Cincinnati in his last outing on July 20, but had won six in a row just prior to the break, including consecutive shutouts of San Francisco and Colorado.
A defeat of St. Louis came one start prior on July 3, when he allowed six hits and a run in seven innings of the Mets' 11-1 win at Busch Stadium.
Rookie right-hander Mitchell Boggs will try to improve on the result of his last start, which saw him on the short end against Pelfrey and the Mets in that 10-run rout.
The former fifth-round draft pick (2005) was ripped for 10 hits and 10 earned runs over six innings in that outing, which gave him his first career loss and raised his ERA from 4.37 to 6.59.
Previously, in five appearances (four starts), he had given up just 22 hits and 11 earned runs in 22 2/3 innings.
On Thursday in St. Louis, Ryan Braun clubbed a two-run homer with one out in the top of the ninth inning to lift the surging Milwaukee Brewers to a 4-3 win over the Cardinals and complete their first-ever four-game sweep in the Gateway City.
Rick Ankiel and Albert Pujols knocked in the runs for the Cardinals, whose four-game slide comes on the heels of a five-game winning streak. Skip Schumaker had two hits and scored a run.
St. Louis starter Todd Wellemeyer went five innings, surrendering two runs on five hits while walking five. Franklin (3-4) was charged with his fifth blown save.
The loss dropped the Cardinals four games behind the Cubs.
