(Sports Network) - The New York Mets shoot for their first three-game winning streak in more than a month tonight, when they open a four-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers at Shea Stadium.

New York hasn't won three in a row since beating Atlanta twice and Pittsburgh once from April 26-29. It just took the last two installments of a three-game series versus the Florida Marlins, including Wednesday's 7-6 victory in 12 innings in the series finale. Fernando Tatis stroked a two-run double in the bottom of the 12th inning and finished with three RBI for the Mets, who pulled within 4 1/2 games of Florida's lead in the NL East division.

Endy Chavez hit a game-tying solo home run the bottom of the ninth inning to send the game into extra frames, while Jose Reyes went 2-for-5 with a solo homer and two runs scored. Luis Castillo added a two-run homer and reliever Duaner Sanchez picked up the win after throwing two innings of relief. Starter Oliver Perez allowed five runs in six frames and fanned seven batters.

The Mets will hand the ball to Claudio Vargas tonight and he is 1-2 with a 3.93 ERA in three starts this season. After losing his first two trips to the mound this season, Vargas rebounded for his first win of the season last Saturday at Colorado, when he yielded two runs in seven innings of a 9-2 victory.

Vargas, a right-hander, is 2-2 with a 4.29 earned run average through eight career appearances (six starts) against Los Angeles.

Los Angeles has lost three in a row and five of its last six games, and was just swept by the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. In Wednesday's 2-1 loss in 10 innings in the series finale, Alfonso Soriano plated the game-winning run in the bottom of the 10th with a base hit to left field. Dodgers starter Derek Lowe came into the game winless in his last six starts, but the veteran allowed just four hits and two walks while striking out five in seven shutout innings.

Takashi Saito blew his third save of the season for LA with a rocky ninth inning, while Chan Ho Park absorbed the loss after surrendering Soriano's game- winning hit. Russell Martin went 3-for-5 and Blake DeWitt scored on a bases- loaded walk to account for the Dodgers' lone run. Los Angeles is 3 1/2 games behind Arizona for NL West supremacy.

Dodgers starter Brad Penny has struggled over his last four starts, going 0-3 with a 9.13 earned run average. He will take the ball tonight against the Mets and is 5-5 with a 5.32 ERA in 11 outings this season. Penny started his recent mess against New York on May 7 at Chavez Ravine, allowing a season-high 10 runs and 10 hits in a season-low 4 2/3 innings of work. He is now a lowly 5-12 with a 6.21 earned run average through 20 career games against the Mets.

Penny last toed the rubber on Saturday in a 4-0 loss versus St. Louis and gave up four runs and four hits in seven frames. The bulky right-hander has yielded at least four runs in each of his last four performances.

Manager Joe Torre, in his first year with the Dodgers, makes his return to the Big Apple after moving to the West Coast in the offseason. Torre managed the New York Yankees for 12 years and won four World Series titles over his first five years as skipper.

Los Angeles won two of three games against the Mets at Dodger Stadium from May 5-7. It has won three of the last four meetings in the series.