(Sports Network) - The Mariners and Mets both know what the other is going through right now. Seattle and New York, which both made manager changes last week, will square off tonight in the opener of a three-game interleague series at Shea Stadium.

New York got the ball rolling last week when it fired manager Willie Randolph last Tuesday. Two other managers have been fired since, including former Seattle skipper John McLaren on Thursday.

The Mets actually won Randolph's final test as manager, but still replaced him with Jerry Manuel, who makes his home debut tonight. The club has gone 3-2 since the move and is coming off a series win over Colorado. New York defeated the Rockies, 3-1, on Sunday to get back to .500 at 37-37.

Carlos Beltran clubbed a two-run home run and Mike Pelfrey tossed 5 2/3 shutout innings. Pelfrey (4-6) allowed just three hits and struck out five, but issued five walks and was lifted after 98 pitches.

David Wright knocked in a run and scored once, while Jose Reyes tripled and scored for the Mets, who won four games on a six-game road trip and are 3 1/2 games back of first-place Philadelphia in the National League East.

Meanwhile, the Mariners replaced McLaren with Jim Riggleman on Thursday and won his debut the following day versus Atlanta. Seattle, which is 19 1/2 games off the pace in the AL West, then lost the next two games of that series, falling on Sunday, 8-3.

Carlos Silva (3-9) was lit up for four runs on nine hits in just four innings of work, as the right-hander remained winless in his last 10 outings. Jeff Clement slammed a two-run homer for the Mariners, who have dropped seven of nine.

It marked Clement's first homer of the season and first since being recalled from Triple-A Tacoma on Tuesday. The third overall pick of the 2005 draft was 0-for-8 since being recalled before smacking two hits on Sunday.

Seattle began a nine-game road trip with its set in Atlanta and is 11-25 as the road club this year. The club has been without third baseman Adrian Beltre for the last two games due to a bruised left index finger, though he could play tonight.

Tonight's opener has a chance to be a stellar one, as each club sends its respective ace to the hill in New York's Johan Santana and Felix Hernandez of Seattle.

These two exciting hurlers have squared off once before, with Hernandez and Santana, then with the Twins, each getting a no-decision on August 13, 2007.

Hernandez comes into this start red hot. After a career-worst five-decision losing streak, the right-handed Hernandez has won each of his last four starts while posting a 0.95 earned run average in that time. He didn't allow an earned run over his previous three starts before yielding four runs (3 earned) on six hits over 7 1/3 innings in a win over Florida on Tuesday.

The 22-year-old is now 6-5 on the season with a 2.87 ERA. He has also been good on the road, posting a 1.90 ERA and 3-2 mark in six road outings. He has also been playing the role of the stopper, as he has halted four-game club losing streaks twice in his past four starts.

Hernandez has never faced the Mets but is 5-3 with a 4.53 ERA in 10 career interleague starts.

Santana is 0-2 over his last three starts and was battered a bit by the Angels on Tuesday. The lefty gave up five runs, four of those earned, on eight hits over six innings, striking out five while walking a pair. Santana fell to 7-5 on the season with a 3.04 ERA, but has gone 3-1 with a 2.93 ERA in six starts at Shea.

The 29-year-old has presented a tough challenge to the Mariners, going 7-1 with a 2.92 ERA over his career against them in nine starts and seven relief outings. He has won his last six decisions against Seattle, having not lost to the club since 2002.

The Mariners are 5-1 all-time against the Mets in the regular season, having swept a three-game set at home when the clubs last met in 2005. New York hosted Seattle from June 6-8 in 2003, winning the opener of that set before dropping the next two.