Mon May 5 11:24:36 2008

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Mets to begin set with scorching Dodgers

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(Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Dodgers will try to get back on the winning track tonight, when they begin a three-game series with the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium.

Los Angeles had won eight in a row, its best winning run since an 11-game streak from July 28-August 8, 2006, before Sunday's 7-2 setback to Colorado.

Derek Lowe (2-2) surrendered five runs on six hits over five innings for the Dodgers, who trail Arizona by four games for first place in the National League West.

Andre Ethier hit a solo home run, while Juan Pierre and Blake DeWitt each had two hits in the loss.

The Dodgers send Chad Billingsley to the hill tonight. After losing four straight starts, Billingsley defeated the Marlins on Wednesday for his first victory of the season. The right-hander gave up just one run on three hits and four walks while striking out eight in a season-high seven innings. He has now struck out 40 batters in 27 2/3 innings for the season.

Billingsley has faced the Mets just once in his career, throwing a perfect inning of relief against them.

Oliver Perez will try to rebound for the Mets tonight against a club he has had success against in his career.

Perez has lost his last two starts to fall to 2-2 with a 4.03 earned run average on the season. He lasted just 1 2/3 innings on Wednesday versus the Pirates, allowing seven runs on two hits and five walks, though just two of the runs were earned.

The left-hander is 5-4 with a 3.53 ERA in 10 career starts versus the Dodgers, but went 2-0 with a 0.63 ERA against them in 2007. That includes a one-run, 7 1/3-inning effort at Dodger Stadium on July 20.

Andruw Jones, who is hitting just .163 on the season for the Dodgers, is a career .240 hitter (6-for-25) with a homer, three RBI and seven strikeouts against Perez. Jones did not play on Sunday and had just four hits in 24 at- bats (.167) during the Dodgers' winning streak.

The Mets have won three of their last five after Sunday's 5-2 victory over the Diamondbacks. Jose Reyes drove in a pair of runs and New York scored three times in the ninth inning to claim the victory.

David Wright homered and Marlon Anderson added an RBI for the Mets, who took two of three in the series.

Jorge Sosa (4-1) recorded two outs in the eighth to earn the win, and Billy Wagner recorded his seventh save with a scoreless ninth. Mets starter Johan Santana went six innings, allowing six hits and one run with eight strikeouts and four walks.

Though Wright has never faced Billingsley, he is a career .461 batter against Los Angeles with a pair of homers and 25 RBI in 26 games.

These two clubs split 10 meetings last year, with the Dodgers winning four of seven from the Mets at home.