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(Sports Network) - Right-hander Brandon Knight will make his first major- league start and his initial appearance in the bigs since 2002 when the surging New York Mets host the slumping St. Louis Cardinals tonight in the middle test of a three-game weekend set at Shea Stadium.

The NL East-leading Mets won the series opener, 7-2, and opened a two-game lead in the division over Philadelphia and Florida. The Cardinals, meanwhile, have lost a season-high five straight.

Knight, 32, last pitched in the majors six years ago, when he was used out of the bullpen by the crosstown New York Yankees and made 11 appearances. He was a 14th-round draft choice of the Texas Rangers in 1995 and has pitched professionally for 14 years, including three seasons in Japan.

He's getting the call in place of veteran Pedro Martinez, who is on bereavement leave after the death of his father.

Knight pitched in the Pittsburgh Pirates' farm system in 2006 and then played for the Somerset Patriots of the independent Atlantic League in 2007. He was 5-1 with a 1.60 earned run average at Triple-A New Orleans prior to the call- up.

For St. Louis, veteran Joel Pineiro faces the Mets for the third time in his career.

The 29-year-old, a 1995 draft pick of the Seattle Mariners, allowed 11 hits and four runs in five innings when he met New York on July 2 and got a no- decision in the Cardinals' 8-7 win at St. Louis.

He's unbeaten in four starts since June 27 but has been hit hard, going 1-0 while allowing 36 hits and 13 runs in 23 innings.

Pineiro is 2-3 in 10 road starts this season with a 5.02 ERA in 57 1/3 innings.

On Friday, Mike Pelfrey put together another solid effort on the mound to extend his unbeaten streak to 11 games, as the Mets downed the Cardinals.

Pelfrey (9-6), who has picked up seven wins and four no-decisions during the streak, gave up one run on seven hits and struck out five in seven innings.

Since a 7-3 loss to Florida on May 26 that dropped his record to 2-6, Pelfrey has watched his earned run average plummet from 5.33 to 3.67.

Argenis Reyes finished 2-for-3 with a walk, a home run, two runs scored and a pair of RBI for New York. Endy Chavez went 4-for-5 with a double and a run scored, while Carlos Delgado clubbed a two-run homer. Jose Reyes added a two- run triple.

Mitchell Boggs (3-2) turned in a lackluster performance for the Cardinals, yielding six runs on eight hits and four walks in just 4 1/3 innings of work.

Ryan Ludwick had two hits and drove in a run for St. Louis. Rick Ankiel was 2- for-4 with a double, while Troy Glaus knocked in the other Cardinal run.