Arizona @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 21, 2010 ) NY Mets 3, Arizona 4

The woeful Arizona Diamondbacks embarrassed the New York Mets last week, contributing to a tailspin that has jeopardized New York's playoff hopes.

And no one wants revenge more than Mike Pelfrey.

The right-hander looks to avenge one of the worst outings of his career on Friday against the Diamondbacks while trying to lead the Mets to their first winning streak in over a month.

New York hasn't won consecutive game since June 22-23, and has fallen 6 1/2 games behind Altanta in the NL East.

If the Mets fail to reach the postseason, they may trace their downfall to a miserable 2-9 road trip earlier this month. The low point of that trek was getting swept in a three-game series in Arizona by a combined score of 20-8.

Pelfrey’s start epitomized the Mets’ struggles in the desert. He allowed six runs and seven hits in 1 1/3 innings – the shortest outing of his career – in a 13-2 loss on July 19.

It was latest in a string of bad outings for Pelfrey (10-5, 4.00 ERA), who after a terrific start, is winless since June 25 and has seen his ERA rise more than a run over the last month.

His last start provided a sliver of hope that Pelfrey is about to turn it around. He allowed two runs and six hits in five innings of New York’s 13-inning loss to Los Angeles on Saturday. Despite receiving a no-decision, it was a confidence builder for the former first-round pick, who hadn’t made it to the fifth inning in any of his previous four starts.

The Mets are also starting to regain some confidence now that they are back in their comfort zone. New York took two of three from St. Louis earlier this week at Citi Field, where it has won 28 of its last 40 games.

R.A. Dickey took a three-hitter into the ninth inning and Ike Davis belted a three-run homer in Thursday’s 4-0 win. New York won without the services of David Wright, who sat for only the third time this season.

Wright, who got the day off after going 6-for-33 in his last eight games, will try to get back on track against Ian Kennedy (5-8, 4.10).

The right-hander faced Pelfrey on July 19 and allowed one run and four hits in five innings. In his last start, Kennedy surrendered four runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings of a 10-4 loss to San Francisco on Saturday.

The Diamondbacks hope he can help them snap a seven-game skid. Arizona fell 3-2 when Wilson Valdez singled home the winning run in the 11th inning of Thursday’s loss to Philadelphia.