San Francisco @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 17, 2009 ) San Francisco 10, NY Mets 1

With wins in three consecutive games and five of their last six, the San Francisco Giants have reclaimed first place in the National League West. The New York Mets wouldn't mind following their lead and getting back on top of the NL East.

By finishing off a three-game sweep at Florida on Thursday, the Giants moved a half-game in front of San Diego atop the NL West, where they have spent 20 days this season.

The Mets, on the other hand, have slipped two games behind the Phillies in the NL East, having lost four of five since an eight-game winning streak put them atop the standings for five days.

San Francisco's starting pitchers were a big key to its sweep in Florida. Tim Lincecum, Barry Zito and Matt Cain combined to allow six runs in 21 innings.

Hoping to continue that trend is 27-year-old left-hander Jonathan Sanchez, who so far this season has continued his career trend of being consistently inconsistent. He hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in any of his five starts, but those outings have ranged in length from 4 1-3 to eight innings.

Sanchez hit double-digit strikeouts in consecutive starts in April, allowing just one run on four hits over 15 innings, but high walk totals have led to inefficiency since then. He has walked five in each of his last two starts and didn't pitch past the fifth either time.

Still, his 2.48 ERA belies his 2-2 record, which is largely the result of poor run support. The Giants have averaged only 3.28 runs in Sanchez's starts.

The Mets counter with 26-year-old right-hander Mike Pelfrey, who hopes his last outing was an anomaly. After winning his first four starts and lowering his ERA to 0.69 with a string of 27 consecutive scoreless innings, Pelfrey lasted only four innings Saturday at Philadelphia.

He gave up six of his eight runs in that fourth inning and complained of tightness in his shoulder. After a bullpen session Wednesday, though, Pelfrey said he felt fine and would be ready to go as scheduled tonight.

Pelfrey has some motivation to make his scheduled start, as he is 1-1 with a 1.77 ERA in three career starts against the Giants.

San Francisco has benefited from the return of center fielder Aaron Rowand, who is 7 for 18 with two home runs in four games since returning from a stint on the disabled list - brought on when a Vicente Padilla pitch hit him in the face and broke three bones. Hitting in the leadoff spot, Rowand has his average up to .328.

But the Giants probably will be without shortstop Edgar Renteria, who left in the third inning Thursday after he re-aggravated a groin strain that had caused him to miss the previous four games.

Mets third baseman David Wright has a nine-game hitting streak during which he is hitting .400 with four home runs and 11 RBIs. Catcher Rod Barajas also has seen a recent power surge with four home runs in his past five games.