The New York Mets sure hope Carlos Beltran is finding a rhythm.
After breaking out of a dismal slump, the All-Star center fielder looks to continue his hot streak Monday night when the Mets open a four-game home set against the struggling Washington Nationals.
Beltran endured a 28-game slump, which saw him go 17-for-94 (.181) with two homers and 12 RBIs -- none in the final nine games of that stretch.
He finally snapped out of that funk by helping New York (19-16) take a three-game set from Cincinnati over the weekend, going 5-for-11 (.455) with two doubles, a triple, a homer and eight RBIs. The impressive hitting display was punctuated Sunday when he went 2-for-5 with three RBIs, including a two-run homer, to power an 8-3 victory. It was only Beltran's third homer of the season, ending a 13-game drought since he hit one during a 10-5 loss at Washington (15-23) on April 24.
"I don't want to say that I'm perfect, but it's getting close," said Beltran, who explained that his left leg has been weaker than his right, which has affected his hitting.
Beltran's been solid in helping the Mets go 4-1 against the Nationals, going 5-for-17 with two homers and five RBIs. New York's only series sweep of 2008 came in three games against Washington at home from April 15-17.
Nelson Figueroa (2-2, 4.81 ERA) started the finale of that sweep, allowing two runs and three hits with seven strikeouts in seven innings of a 3-2, 14-inning win.
The Mets hope the right-hander can continue his strong pitching at Shea.
Figueroa is 2-0 with a 3.32 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 21 2-3 innings over four games -- three starts -- at home. He hasn't been effective on the road, going 0-2 with a 7.50 ERA while fanning six in 12 innings of four games -- two starts.
Figueroa is also coming off one of his worst performances of the season, allowing five runs and eight hits in five innings of a 5-4 loss at the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday.
The Nationals, losers of five of their last six, are coming off a three-game sweep to Florida, capped by a 5-4 defeat on Sunday.
"Everyone ought to be a little ticked off right now -- anytime someone comes in and sweeps you," said first baseman Aaron Boone, who went 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs on Sunday.
Washington hopes Odalis Perez (0-3, 3.43) can help them snap the skid when he gets a ninth chance to win his first game of the season.
Perez came up empty in his last attempt, despite overcoming an illness that made him vomit after the first inning of a 4-3 loss at Houston. The left-hander exited after giving up three runs and five hits in five innings, and not receiving a decision for the fourth straight outing.
"He still gave us a good effort," Nationals manager Manny Acta said of Perez. "You've got to hand it to him, he was very sick, but he still gave us five good innings."
Perez hasn't received much help in eight starts, getting only 13 runs of support. His last decision came against the Mets on April 15 when he allowed two runs in six innings of a 6-0 loss.