Mets hope to keep it going against Phillies

The last time the Mets saw the Phillies, things were looking up. The Mets were fresh off a franchise record-tying 9-1 homestand, their pitching staff was humming and their offense seemed to be jelling.

The Mets are about to face the Phillies again, starting Tuesday night at Citi Field, and this time, perhaps the Mets really mean it about things looking up.

They went to Philadelphia on April 30 with a 13-9 record, sitting in first place. But after the Phillies lost to the Mets, 9-1, in the opener of the three-game series, the defending National League champs lit up Mike Pelfrey, 10-0, and Johan Santana, 11-5, to take two of three. That began a stretch in which the Mets lost 13 of 18, three-fifths of their starting rotation and any momentum.

They have won three of their last four, though, so this three-game set with the NL East leaders could help the Mets continue their latest upswing, even though they begin it in last place, five games behind the Phillies.

"It's not going to get any easier, but it gives us a good little momentum-builder," said Jason Bay, who homered twice off CC Sabathia in the Mets' 6-4 win Sunday.

There's also a little something extra to this series, with Phillies manager Charlie Manuel having accused the Mets of stealing signs. His evidence: The Mets' lopsided record at home (now 16-9) against on the road (6-14).

"Sometimes that's a good indicator of getting signs," Manuel had said, getting defensive when his team was accused of stealing signs in Denver against the Rockies two weeks ago. "We're about the same home and road. I'm just saying their record is much better at home and they hit better."

Jerry Manuel laughed it off at the time.

The Phillies entered their last series with the Mets having lost four of six. After dropping that first game, they ripped off wins in 12 of their next 15. But the Phillies again have lost four of six, and they nearly were no-hit by Boston's Daisuke Matsuzaka on Saturday night.

Perhaps the best news for the Mets is that the Phillies were completely baffled by Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield in an 8-3 loss Sunday. Wakefield scattered five hits in eight innings. The Mets have their own knuckleballer, R.A. Dickey, going Tuesday night to open this three-game set.

"It doesn't do me much good to go in there and watch the Phillies, watch Ryan Howard's weaknesses, because he's getting a knuckleball," Dickey said. "He knows it and I know it. And it's just a matter of throwing a bunch of good ones."

The Mets have changed quite a bit in the three weeks since they visited Philly. Jon Niese, who won that opening game, is on the disabled list with a hamstring strain. John Maine (rotator cuff tendinitis) also is on the DL and Oliver Perez has gone to the bullpen.

So it will be Dickey and Hisanori Takahashi in the first two games before Pelfrey gets another crack at them. Not exactly a big-name rotation, but the previous starters weren't exactly mowing down opponents.