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(Sports Network) - Cole Hamels knows all about the rivalry between the Phillies and Mets, but the battle for National League East supremacy is new to Johan Santana. Santana will get his first view of the feud from the mound tonight, as he starts New York's opener of a three-game series against Hamels and Philadelphia at Citizens Bank Park.

Santana did not pitch when the Mets hosted the Phillies for a three-game set at Shea Stadium from April 8-10. Philadelphia won that series opener to post its ninth straight win over New York at the time, but the Mets won the final two tests of the set.

Santana, who came over to the Mets in an offseason trade with the Minnesota Twins, will make his first-ever start at Citizens Bank Park tonight and just the second of his career against the Phillies. The left-hander faced the Phils at the now-demolished Veterans Stadium on June 23, 2002, getting a no-decision in his 13th major league start. He gave up a run and two hits over 4 2/3 innings.

The 29-year-old doesn't come into this series riding a hot hand though. He has lost his last two starts to fall to 1-2, and after a tough-luck loss versus Atlanta on April 6 that saw Santana allow just one run over seven innings, he served up six hits -- three of them homers -- and five runs (4 earned) in 6 2/3 innings against Milwaukee on Saturday.

His counterpart, Hamels, has been outstanding through each of his three starts for the Phillies. Hamels suffered a tough-luck loss on April 2 after yielding just a run over eight frames, but has answered with a pair of victories.

Against the Reds on April 7, Hamels gave up two runs (1 earned) on five hits over seven frames to pick up a victory. The southpaw then hurled seven shutout innings against the Cubs on Saturday, yielding only one hit and two walks while striking out five. The 24-year-old retired the first seven batters he faced and also sat down 11 of the last 12 hitters he saw.

Hamels went 0-1 with a 4.00 earned run average in three starts against the Mets last year, but did defeat them in his lone 2006 start against them.

The Phillies improved to 4-2 on a nine-game homestand with Thursday's 10-2 victory over Houston. Christ Coste, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell all homered in the victory. Burrell's homer was his team-high sixth of the season, while Coste had four hits and three RBI.

Brett Myers (2-1) went seven strong innings, allowing one run on five hits while striking out eight to earn the win.

Philadelphia was without Jimmy Rollins once again. Rollins hasn't started since suffering a sprained left ankle on April 8 against the Mets, and is not currently with the team as he traveled back to Oakland due to the death of an uncle. He is not expected to play again until Saturday at the earliest.

The Mets begin a seven-game, three-city road trip tonight after wrapping up a nine-game homestand on Thursday. The Mets ended 5-4 on the residency after sweeping the Washington Nationals in three games.

In the series finale on Thursday, Nationals catcher Wil Nieves couldn't control an offering from Joel Hanrahan with the bases loaded in the 14th inning, allowing Damion Easley to score the winning run for the Mets in a 3-2 victory.

The score made a winner of Jorge Sosa (2-1), who pitched two scoreless frames behind six other New York pitchers. Nelson Figueroa again impressed following his first victory since August 15, 2003 in his previous start, as he gave up two runs on three hits with two walks and seven strikeouts through seven frames.

Carlos Beltran didn't start the game due to a stiff neck, but did pinch-hit and struck out in that at-bat. Ryan Church had an RBI and Jose Reyes added two hits. Carlos Delgado also drove in a run.

Beltran is 4-for-12 (.333) with two homers against Hamels, while Delgado is 4- for-9 (.444) with a long ball against him.