Chicago @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 20, 2010 ) Chi. Cubs 0, NY Mets 4

Having already won the first two games of their four-game series, the New York Mets will look to continue their solid starting pitching in Wednesday's contest against the Chicago Cubs at Citi Field.After getting solid outings from Jon Niese and Mike Pelfrey on successive nights, the Mets (6-8) hand the ball to beleaguered left-hander Oliver Perez and hope that he can build on his last appearance.Perez (0-1, 3.75 ERA) has had a history of being completely inconsistent and he’s lived up to that billing over the last two starts. Last Friday, however, Perez was brilliant. He allowed just four hits and one earned run in 6 1/3 innings against the St. Louis Cardinals. Perez also displayed a sharp-breaking slider and a never-before-seen changeup. While Perez’s velocity is considerably down from two years ago, if he continues to throw off-speed pitches for strikes, he may have just reinvented himself.His counterpart Wednesday night is also enjoying a rebirth on the mound. Carlos Silva (1-0, 0.69 ERA) was considered nothing more than a salary dump for the Seattle Mariners over the winter. He was shipped to the Cubs (5-9) for Milton Bradley in an exchange of troubled big-contract players.Silva has been outstanding in his new home, pitching his best baseball in over two seasons and showing a bit of the form that enabled him to procure a four-year, $40 million contract from Seattle two years ago. He is coming off a fine start against the Houston Astros, as he allowed just five hits and struck out five while walking none in getting the win. Silva is displaying a more robust fastball with the Cubs and may just be ready to cement his place in the team's rotation for the rest of the season.Chicago manager Lou Piniella is hoping that Silva can help the team snap out of their current three-game losing streak, a stretch where the Cubs’ bats have been totally silent.Silva hasn’t pitched against the Mets since 2007, when he was roughed up for 10 hits and four runs in a loss at Shea Stadium.New York is hopeful that Jose Reyes is finally back to his old self. After missing most of 2009 with a hamstring problem and then the start of the 2010 campaign with thyroid issues, Reyes had four hits, two RBIs and a stolen base in Tuesday night’s 4-0 win.The Mets will need continued production from Reyes, because All-Star center fielder Carlos Beltran is not healing well after offseason knee surgery and will more than likely be out of action until June. It means more of former Cub Angel Pagan in center for the Mets.New York also lost set-up reliever Ryota Igarashi to a hamstring injury Tuesday night. Igarashi hurt himself while trying to field a bunt in the eighth inning and he will undergo an MRI exam Wednesday to determine the extent of his injury.