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Slumping Mets close series with Nats

(Sports Network) - As New York's losing streak gets longer, its lead in the National League Central keeps getting smaller. The Mets will attempt to halt a five-game losing streak tonight when they play the finale of a three-game series with the Washington Nationals at RFK Stadium.

The Mets' skid began with a three-game sweep at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies, who have won six in a row and now trail New York by just 1 1/2 games in the standings. The Mets have played one fewer game than the Phillies.

New York jumped out to a 4-0 lead on Tuesday and even carried a 7-3 edge into the bottom of the fifth, but starter John Maine couldn't hold the lead, allowing eight runs on 11 hits over 4 1/3 innings.

Washington's Ronnie Belliard highlighted a five-run fifth frame with a three- run homer. Austin Kearns and D'Angelo Jimenez also homered in the win, Washington's third in four games.

The Nationals will be trying to sweep their NL East rival for the first time since taking all three games of a set in New York back on September 13-15, 2005. The Nats haven't swept the Mets at home in three games since April of 2001 when the club was still the Montreal Expos.

Shawn Green homered for the second straight game, while Paul Lo Duca and Endy Chavez both drove in a pair of runs for the Mets, who have lost six of seven.

Moises Alou went 2-for-3 to extend his hitting streak to 22 games, but he left the game in the fifth inning with tightness in his left quadriceps muscle. New York is already without slugger Carlos Delgado, who has sat our 11 consecutive games because of a strained right hip flexor.

Mike Pelfrey will start for the Mets tonight after a one-game stint in the bullpen. Pelfrey last started on September 7 against Houston, getting the win after 5 1/3 innings of two-run, 10-hit ball. He improved to 2-7 with the victory.

He then came out of the bullpen on September 11, allowing a run and three hits in two innings of work against the Braves. He has a 5.23 earned run average on the season.

The right-hander has made two starts against Washington this season -- both this year -- and didn't factor into the decision of either outing while pitching to a 3.86 ERA. That includes a start against them on July 28 when he gave up three runs over six innings.

Matt Chico goes for the Nationals and will try to post his first victory since July 31 against the Reds. He has gone 0-2 in six starts since, pitching to a 4.18 ERA in that span. His last two starts have been against the Braves, as he took a loss against them in Atlanta on September 8 after giving up six unearned runs over five frames.

He then didn't factor into the decision of his team's loss to the Braves on Friday after giving up three runs on six hits over six innings. Chico is 5-8 this year with a 4.61 ERA.

The left-handed rookie is 1-1 against the Mets in his career with a 5.59 ERA, taking a loss against them on August 17.

New York is 8-6 against Washington this season and has beaten the club in five of eight meetings at RFK Stadium. The Mets had won four in a row in the series before this series and are 41-29 against Washington since the start of the 2004 season.

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