(Best E Casino) - After failing to hold on to the lead in the National League East earlier this month, the New York Mets have now lost sole control of the Wild Card spot. New York will try to rebound tonight in the finale of a four- game series with the NL Central champion Chicago Cubs at Shea Stadium.

New York, which blew a seven-game lead atop the NL East with 17 games to play last year to miss the postseason, had a 3 1/2-game edge for first place in the division on September 10, but now finds itself 1 1/2 games back of front- running Philadelphia, which lost to the Braves on Wednesday and is idle today.

The Mets failed to make up ground, though, as they were defeated by the Cubs, 9-6, in 10 innings last night. The news got worse, as the Milwaukee Brewers posted a win against Pittsburgh to draw even with New York for the final playoff spot. The Brewers host the Pirates again tonight.

Carlos Delgado staked the Mets to an early lead with a grand slam in the third inning, but starter Oliver Perez failed to hold a 5-1 lead by allowing five runs over 4 1/3 innings of work.

Chicago drew even with a four-run fifth frame, getting a two-run double from Mark DeRosa and a run-scoring single out of Reed Johnson. An error by Daniel Murphy on Johnson's hit allowed another run to cross the plate.

Both teams would add another run, but New York also stranded a runner on third in five straight innings leading up to the 10th, when Derrek Lee connected on double that scored the go-ahead run before Aramis Ramirez provided a bigger cushion with a two-run homer.

Kerry Wood then sat down New York in order in the bottom of the frame for his 34th save.

DeRosa knocked in three runs before leaving with a strained calf. He is considered day-to-day for the NL Central champion Cubs, who have won four of five and wrap their season with three games in Milwaukee. A win tonight and a sweep of the Brewers over the weekend would give Chicago, which has already clinched home-field advantage through the NL playoffs, its first 100-win season since 1935.

The Mets, meanwhile, have lost four of five and stay home over the weekend to host Florida in the final regular-season series at Shea Stadium, which will close after this season.

New York will need a big start out of Pedro Martinez tonight, but the 36-year- old has been unable to deliver as of late.

Martinez has lost his last three starts while allowing 14 runs in 16 innings of work. He faced Atlanta on Saturday and was tagged for four runs on nine hits and three walks over six innings, falling to 5-6 with a 5.50 earned run average on the season.

The right-hander hasn't faced the Cubs this year but is 4-3 with a 3.71 ERA in 12 lifetime outings, including seven starts, against them.

Rich Harden goes for the Cubs and will try to find his control before the postseason. The 26-year-old got a no-decision on Thursday versus Milwaukee, when he allowed just a run and one hit but also walked six while fanning seven over five innings.

Harden, who has walked 11 batters over his last three starts while failing to go longer than six innings, is 5-1 with a 1.66 ERA in 11 starts with Chicago since coming over by way of trade from Oakland.

The righty has never started versus the Mets, having thrown just one inning relief against them in his career.

Chicago has won four of five versus New York this season.