New York @ San Francisco preview

Last Meeting ( May 5, 2011 ) San Francisco 2, NY Mets 5

THE STORY: R.A. Dickey and Ryan Vogelsong were the starting pitchers when the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants opened a three-game series in May. While both pitchers struggled mightily in that encounter on May 3, Vogelsong has been singing a sweet tune ever since. The journeyman hurler is now an All-Star, and he'll once again face the Mets when the two clubs open a three-game series in San Francisco on Friday.

TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), CSBA (San Francisco)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH R.A. Dickey (4-7, 3.68 ERA) vs. Giants RH Ryan Vogelsong (6-1, 2.13 ERA).

On May 3, Dickey was lucky to receive a no-decision after yielding six runs and seven hits against the Giants, who went on to post a 7-6 triumph in 10 innings. Suffice to say, the 36-year-old Tennessean has pitched better of late. In his last three outings, Dickey allowed just five total runs and struck out 18, but has one win to show for it. On Sunday, he held the high-powered New York Yankees to just one run and two hits but received a no-decision.

Vogelsong allowed five runs in four innings against the Mets on May 3. The 33-year-old North Carolina native rebounded from that outing by permitting nine runs in as many games. Vogelsong has won three in a row, but settled for a no-decision in his last start on Sunday. He has struggled with his control as of late, yielding four walks in both of his last two outings.

ABOUT THE METS (45-43): New York placed superstar shortstop Jose Reyes on the 15-day disabled list with a left hamstring strain. The move sidelines Reyes for the team's series against the Giants as well as their first post-All-Star set versus the National League East rival Philadelphia Phillies. Reyes, who leads the majors with a .354 batting average, was replaced by Nick Evans, who is 0-for-15 in his brief major league career. Carlos Beltran's 11-game hit streak ended in Thursday's 6-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The veteran outfielder went 0-for-3. Beltran has flourished against Giants' pitching over the years, batting .308 with three homers and 20 RBIs. Justin Turner saw his streak of consecutive games reaching base end at 28 following an 0-for-4 effort on Thursday.

ABOUT THE GIANTS (50-39): Pablo Sandoval extended his career-high best hitting streak to 18 games with a sixth-inning single in Thursday's 2-1 triumph over the San Diego Padres. The "Kung Fu Panda" has feasted on the Mets' pitching to the tune of a .322 career batting average. Eli Whiteside belted his third homer of the season on Thursday. Second baseman Bill Hall suffered a lacerated left leg after being spiked by Jason Bartlett on an attempted steal. Hall was replaced by Emmanuel Burriss.

FINAL PITCH: "We reached out, they respectfully declined, which was an appropriate response on their part, so we honor that," Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said of the "secret" negotiations with Reyes' camp. "There is nothing going on otherwise. Even secretly. Even super secretly."