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(Sports Network) - Right-hander Pedro Martinez makes his sixth start since returning from the disabled list tonight, when the New York Mets play the third test of a four-game set with the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium.

Martinez, who had major shoulder surgery last season and was limited to just five starts, began the 2008 season with a 3 1/3-inning outing against Florida on April 1. He then went back on the shelf before returning on June 3 against San Francisco.

He won his initial two decisions over three starts by mid-June, but has since lost two straight trips to the hill while allowing 12 runs and 15 hits in 10 innings against Colorado and the New York Yankees.

Martinez is 4-4 in 15 career games (10 starts) against the Cardinals and has allowed 63 hits and 28 earned runs in 77 innings.

For St. Louis, 29-year-old right-hander Joel Pineiro shoots for his first win since late April.

The product of Edison Community College in Florida was 2-2 after a 7-2 defeat of the Cincinnati Reds on April 29, but has since gone 0-2 with six no- decisions in eight outings.

He dropped a 7-2 verdict at Kansas City in his most recent start on June 27, allowing 10 hits and seven runs in 7 2/3 innings.

Pineiro won his lone career start against the Mets, allowing three hits in eight scoreless innings.

On Tuesday, Tony Armas pitched well enough to record a victory in his first start of the season and Ramon Castro drove in three runs, as the Mets downed the Cardinals, 7-4.

Armas (1-0) surrendered four runs on eight hits with three strikeouts and one walk over six innings. The Mets bullpen only gave up one hit without a walk over the final three frames with Billy Wagner notching his 19 save of the season.

Carlos Delgado doubled twice as part of a 3-for-3 night, David Wright also had three hits, scored twice and homered and Endy Chavez ended 2-for-5 for the Mets, who rebounded from Monday night's blowout loss to the Cardinals.

Todd Wellemeyer (7-3) took the loss for the Cardinals, giving up six runs on 12 hits with two walks and two strikeouts in just five frames. Rick Ankiel hit a two-run homer in the first for St. Louis.

New York won five of seven versus the Cardinals last season, sweeping a three- game set at Busch Stadium.