Opponent: New York Mets (90-55).

Site: PNC Park.

Times: 7:05 p.m. today and tomorrow, 1:35 p.m. Sunday.

TV, radio: Today on FSN Pittsburgh, all games on KDKA-AM (1020) and Pirates Radio Network.

Starting matchups: LHP Paul Maholm (7-10, 4.90) vs. RHP Pedro Martinez (9-5, 3.84), LHP Tom Gorzelanny (2-3, 3.74) vs. RHP Orlando Hernandez (10-10, 4.96), LHP Zach Duke (9-13, 4.68) vs. RHP John Maine (5-4, 3.45).

Season series: New York, 5-1.

Three things to know about the Mets: 1. They are Major League Baseball's only 90-win team, and they owe that mostly to the sport's only lineup boasting four players with 75 or more RBIs: CF Carlos Beltran (114), 3B David Wright (110), 1B Carlos Delgado (106) and SS Jose Reyes (75). Beltran, an MVP candidate, has six of his 40 home runs in the past 19 games. 2. Reyes, the explosive leadoff man, is the first in baseball history to have 115 runs or more in a season, 178 hits or more, 19 home runs or more and 57 steals or more. 3. Martinez might not be in peak form tonight. He is returning from a strained right calf that has kept him out since Aug. 14.

The Pirates' key to success: Put down Wright, the No. 5 hitter who is 8 for 21 against them with a home run and five RBIs.

The intangible: The Pirates' all-southpaw threesome could have an impact. New York bats .257 against left-handers, including notably low averages for Delgado (.239), RF Shawn Green (.222) and LF Cliff Floyd (.182).

On deck: A six-game trip to face West leaders Los Angeles and San Diego.