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Mike Pelfrey Aims To Snap Rockies' Streak Over Mets

NEW YORK (WFAN/AP) -- The Rockies are thriving against the Mets, and now Chris Iannetta is emerging as a strong contributor.

The Rockies look to extend their winning streak over the Mets to six games when the teams continue their three-game series Tuesday night at Coors Field.

Colorado (19-14) improved to 5-0 this season against New York (15-20) with a 2-1 win Monday as Iannetta's solo homer broke a seventh-inning tie. Iannetta followed that by throwing out Willie Harris trying to steal second as the potential tying run in the ninth.

He's thrown out five of the last eight runners attempting to steal over the last six games.

The Mets have lost two straight following a three-game win streak. They have totaled three runs while going 1 for 16 with runners in scoring position the past two contests.

"It's all about plate discipline," manager Terry Collins said.

Pelfrey (2-3, 6.06) will be looking for his first road win since beating Pittsburgh on Aug. 20.

The right-hander is 0-5 with an 8.62 ERA over his last seven away starts, going 0-3 with a 10.91 ERA in four this season.

Pelfrey was sharp Thursday, allowing two runs - one earned - and four hits in 7 2-3 innings of a 5-2 home win over San Francisco.

Ronny Paulino was behind the plate for the Mets in that game, the third catcher the right-hander has thrown to this season and 10th during his five-plus years in the majors.

"A catcher is very valuable," Pelfrey told the team's official website. "Obviously having that trust and not having to shake off ... can be very, very huge. And it also keeps the rhythm of the game."

The Rockies haven't presented much of a problem lately for Pelfrey, who is 2-0 with a 1.40 ERA in his last three starts against them. He won his last visit to Coors Field on April 15, 2010, yielding five hits in seven innings of a 5-0 victory.

Pelfrey, though, has allowed Troy Tulowitzki to go 6 for 17, and the shortstop is 11 for 19 with four homers and eight RBIs versus the Mets this season.

Tulowitzki went 1 for 3 Monday, as he tries to shake a 3-for-38 slump over the last 10 games.

Iannetta has also impressed at the plate lately. He's 9 for 20 with a double, two homers and three RBIs in his past six games, raising his season average 72 points to .247.

"He looks way better," Carlos Gonzalez said. "He's concentrating more on what he needs to do at the plate. Defensively, he's always been really good, it's just being consistent behind the plate."

Jason Hammel (3-1, 2.63 ERA) will try to keep Colorado rolling against the Mets.

The right-hander is 2-0 with a 0.87 ERA in his last three starts, and was terrific again in Thursday's 3-2, 11-inning win at Arizona, tossing seven scoreless innings.

Hammel's 2011 ERA is more than two runs better than last season's 4.81 mark. He credits his success to a change in his delivery.

"The small adjustment that I made mechanically has really allowed me, whenever I've needed to make an adjustment, to make it in-game," Hammel told the team's official website. "It's been a real eye-opener for me."

He's allowed three earned runs or fewer in each of his last five starts, including a 7-6 win over the Mets on April 11. He didn't get a decision opposite Mike Pelfrey - Tuesday's counterpart - despite allowing two earned runs in six innings.

Hammel is 0-2 with a 6.91 ERA in three starts versus New York.

Can the Mets solve the Rockies? Sound off below...

(TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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