(Sports Network) - Burly right-hander Brad Penny can improve on a subpar career record against the NL East-leading New York Mets tonight, when the Los Angeles Dodgers visit Shea Stadium to open a three-game series.

Penny, who beat the Mets on July 21 this season, is just 5-10 against them in 18 career starts, posting a 5.72 ERA in 105 1/3 innings of work.

He has pitched well in his last three outings since a two-start losing streak, picking up a win and a pair of no-decisions while allowing just 17 hits and four runs over 18 innings.

The 6-foot-4, 260-pound Penny is 7-1 in 10 starts away from home in 2007, with a 2.58 ERA.

New York counters with Oliver Perez, who beat the Dodgers in his last meeting with them on July 20.

In the 4-1 Mets win, the 26-year-old Mexican southpaw allowed six hits and a run over 7 1/3 innings of work, striking out eight and walking three.

He went 1-2 with a no-decision in four subsequent starts, but bounced back with a 7-4 defeat of Washington on August 18 after he surrendered seven hits and three runs in 5 2/3 innings.

Perez is 5-5 in 13 starts at Shea this season, with a 3.78 ERA.

On Thursday in Philadelphia, Los Angeles right-hander Chad Billingsley struck out seven over seven solid innings to break a five-start winless streak, as the Dodgers downed the Phillies, 5-2, in the finale of a three-game series at Citizens Bank Park.

Ramon Martinez went 2-for-3, drove in two and scored a run for the Dodgers, who won their second straight and fourth in six. Takashi Saito tossed a perfect ninth for his 34th save in 37 chances this season.

In New York, Adrian Gonzalez's home run in the 10th inning guided the San Diego Padres to a 9-8 victory over the Mets in the finale of a three-game series.

With New York leading by a run, Billy Wagner entered the contest in the ninth and quickly gave up a double to Khalil Greene, who scored on Terrmel Sledge's pinch-hit double to tie the game. Josh Bard then put the Padres in front 8-7 with a looping single to center to silence the home crowd.

San Diego closer Trevor Hoffman fared no better than Wagner and blew his save opportunity in the bottom of the frame. With one out, Jose Reyes and Luis Castillo hit consecutive singles and both executed a double steal.

David Wright then hit a sacrifice fly to center to plate Reyes and tie the game at 8-8.

Aaron Heilman started the 10th inning for the Mets and with out, Gonzalez took him to deep right to put the Padres in front.

Marlon Anderson hit a three-run, pinch-hit homer in a six-run sixth inning for the Mets, who have lost two in a row and lead Philadelphia by five games in the NL East.

The loss went to Heilman (7-6) while starter Tom Glavine was knocked around for six runs and 11 hits in five innings. The veteran also walked three while striking out one.

Los Angeles holds a 4-3 edge in this year's season series with the Mets, with all seven games having taken place at Dodger Stadium. New York won four of seven meetings with Los Angeles in 2006 and swept the Dodgers in the best-of- five NL Division Series last October.