LHP Oliver Perez (9-7, 3.90) vs. RHP Dave Bush (9-9, 4.12):
— Here’s Perez vs. the Brewers’ hitters
— Here’s Bush vs. the Mets’ hitters

Lineups:

METS (78-61):
7 Reyes, SS
28 Murphy, 2B
5 Wright, 3B
21 Delgado, 1B
15 Beltran, CF
19 Church, RF
1 Castillo, 2B
23 Schneider, C
46 Perez, LHP

BREWERS (80-58):
23 Weeks, 2B
7 Hardy, SS
33 Kapler, CF
8 Braun, LF
1 Hart, RF
11 Rivera, 1B
2 Hall, 3B
18 Kendall, C
31 Bush, RHP

Notes:

ON A ROLL: The Mets are 16-5 in their last 21 games and 19-8 in their last 27. They are also 36-17 in their last 53.

ROAD WARRIORS: The club is 5-2 on its current road swing through Philly, Miami and Milwaukee, assuring themselves a winning trip. Yesterday’s win put them above .500 on the road, at 37-36.

SOUTHPAW SUCCESS: The Brewers were 31-13 against LHP when the Mets came to town, but the Mets beat them in games started by Johan Santana and Jon Niese. They send a third lefty, Oliver Perez, to the mound today.

BEST AGAINST THE BEST: Oliver Perez has made 15 starts vs. opponents currently over .500. His numbers? 6-1, 2.51 ERA, with 93 K and just 73 hits allowed in 100.1 IP. … Perez is 4-2 with a 2.42 ERA in his last 12 starts. … He is 3-1 with a 5.09 ERA in eight career starts vs. the Brewers. He pitched against them on Apr. 13 this year: 4.1 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, 4 K (ND)

THE SPARKPLUG: Jose Reyes lead the big leagues in multi-hit games (57) and triples (17); ranks second in steals (47); and ranks third in hits (180). … Reyes has 19 multi-hit games in his last 34 games.

REDEMPTION SONG: After a slow summer, Carlos Beltran’s bat is singing. He has five HRs, 11 runs, and 13 RBI in his last nine.

DELGADOIAN: Carlos Delgado has his own word after posting back-to-back months that Ruth and Gehrig would’ve been proud of. He has 20 RBI in each of the past three months and leads the majors in RBI (60) and is tied in home runs (20, with Miguel Cabrera) since June 27th. … He is also three home runs shy of tying Dave Winfield on the all-time list at 465.

DODGERS CREEPING CLOSER: After a quiet first inning, the Mets have company in the first-inning run category. They still lead MLB with 117 first-inning runs, but the Dodgers are now at 112.

UPDATE, 1:18 p.m.: Well, I guess the Dodgers aren’t getting so close after all. That’s six first-inning runs and counting for the Mets, who are battering poor Dave Bush. I actually went to grab a quick lunch before and the Mets were up 5-0 one pitch after I returned to my seat.

I will tell you this: If these teams face in the NL Division Series, the Brewers may want to skip Bush and Manny Parra. The Mets should feel awfully comfortable in this park, too.

Also of note, the grand slam was the first for Ryan Church since ‘06 and only the second of his career. More importantly in the present, it was Church’s first HR since returning from the DL and his first since June 1 against the Dodgers.

UPDATE, 1:39 p.m.: Can you believe, this game isn’t even on TV in Milwaukee??? In the press box they’re showing the SNY feed.

Everywhere I go here I hear talk about the Brewers. At breakfast this morning. At the restaurant Monday night. In the hotel. That’s why I find it so bizarre.

I guess I have to retract my comments from Monday about this being such a great franchise. No TV is unacceptable. … Although I do still believe in the greatness of Bernie Brewer. Right now he’s in the stands delivering pizza. You have to respect that.

UPDATE, 1:51 p.m.: What an unbelievable play by Billy Hall at third base. For those who didn’t see it, Hall slid to grab a smash in the hole by Ryan Church. Hall then backhanded the throw about 50 or 60 feet from his knees, and J.J. Hardy turned the double play. Hardy actually threw low to first and Mike Rivera picked the short hop out of the dirt.

Too bad for the Brewers they’re already down 6-0.

UPDATE, 2:07 p.m.: Oliver Perez seems kind of bored when faced with a comfortable situation. He has labored tremendously despite being staked to a 6-0 lead before ever coming to the mound. Perez has already thrown 58 pitches and walked three through three innings.

The crowd here at Miller Park is flat. It’s also not overly big, but he way Perez is going he better be careful to not wake Milwaukee’s fans up.

UPDATE, 2:25 p.m.: Three quick updates via Mets PR czar Jay Horwitz…
— This is only the second time since 2005 the Mets have scored six runs in the first inning. The other was on 7/19/07 at L.A. in a 13-9 win.
— Jose Reyes just set a new single-season career high for triples (18). He had 17 in both 2005 and 2006.
— Reyes also tied Mookie Wilson with 281 career steals. That’s the most by a Met ever. … Reyes just turned 25 about six weeks ago, so it’s safe to say he’ll hold the record one day. I may even go out on a limb and guess he holds the record one day soon. … Sorry, Mookie.

UPDATE, 2:49 p.m.: Another blow out, and yet again it was the Polish Sausage who ran home to the easy victory. For a second I thought he may challenge the record, which is under 17 seconds, but he pulled up down the stretch, Usain Bolt-style.

The Italian Sausage finished dead last again and was clearly sucking wind out there. That guy may want to look for another occupation.

UPDATE, 3:08 p.m.: So I have a question for everyone, is this the time to work in a Rincon, Reyes or Parnell? The Mets are up 6-1, but are currently warming Duaner Sanchez in the ‘pen, not one of the callups.

UPDATE, 3:46 p.m.: I was just about to write the following sentence: “With all the talk about Dan Murphy, it’s easy to forget that Nick Evans has been pretty darn good the last few weeks as well.” I mean, Evans deserved some love too, what with him breaking the Mets out of their funk with a two-run single for insurance in the eighth, right?

Then Murphy comes up to lead off the ninth and hits an absolute rope off the left-center field wall. Another big day for him: 2 for 4, BB, 2B, 2 R. The guy is just so productive it’s scary, unless, of course, you’re a Met fan.