The Dodgers and Mets face off in the third game of a four-game series on Saturday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers will be looking to snap a two-game losing streak.

Los Angeles will hand the ball to All-Star Brad Penny, who is in contention to win his first National League Cy Young Award after winning 10 games in the first half. Penny, who defeated the Phillies on Monday, is 11-1 with a 2.33 ERA in 19 starts.

Penny is 4-10 with a 5.82 ERA in 17 career starts against the Mets. He struggled in his only appearance against New York last season, allowing seven runs over 5 2/3 innings. However, on June 13, he shut them down, giving up just one run on seven hits while striking out seven in a win.

The Mets counter with right-hander Jorge Sosa, who is 0-1 with a 5.63 ERA in six career games (two starts) against the Dodgers. Sosa matched up against Penny on June 13 and allowed six runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings in a loss.

Sosa has struggled in his career at Dodger Stadium, going 0-1 with a 7.88 ERA in four games (one start). In his only other start against the Dodgers as a member of the Braves, Sosa allowed three runs and struck out four in seven innings.

Pitching matchup
LAD: RHP Brad Penny (11-1, 2.33 ERA)
There was no sign of the finger blister when Penny returned from the All-Star Game to throttle the Phillies. He finished with a flourish, striking out the last four batters he faced and seven of the last 10. Penny lost his first three starts after the 2006 All-Star break. Penny is 4-10 with a 5.82 ERA lifetime against the Mets.

NYM: RHP Jorge Sosa (7-4, 3.84 ERA)
In his first start since his assignment to the disabled list ended, Sosa pitched well enough to win, but he didn't. He allowed five hits and two walks and had four strikeouts in six innings, showing no lingering effects of the hamstring pull that put him on the DL. Sosa was battered by the Dodgers in Los Angeles on June 13, yielding six earned runs over 5 2/3 innings.

Player to watch
Wilson Betemit may start on Saturday afternoon and is 2-for-3 with a homer and three RBIs against Sosa this season. If Betemit doesn't start, look for him to be a key pinch-hitter, as he is 8-for-23 (.348) with three homers and nine RBIs as a pinch-hitter this season.

Tickets
 Buy tickets now to catch the game in person.

On the Internet
 MLB.TV
 Gameday Audio
•  Gameday
•  Official game notes

On television
• FOX

On radio
• KFWB, KWKW (Español)

Up next
• Sunday: Dodgers (Mark Hendrickson, 4-5, 4.54) vs. Mets (Orlando Hernandez, 6-4, 2.96), 1:10 p.m. PT
• Monday: Dodgers (Chad Billingsley, 6-0, 3.56) at Astros (Chris Sampson, 7-6, 4.15), 5:05 p.m. PT
• Tuesday: Dodgers (TBD) at Astros (Jason Jennings, 1-6, 4.76), 5:05 p.m. PT