San Francisco (39-50) at New York (45-44)

The New York Mets offense appears to have found a rhythm. They’ll try to continue their hot hitting against Tim Lincecum as they open a three-game set against the San Francisco Giants at Shea Stadium.

The Mets (45-44), who are above .500 for the first time since June 5, hit .346 with three homers and 23 runs in taking the last three games of a four-game series from NL East-leading Philadelphia after being limited to four hits in a 3-2 loss Friday.

New York had a season-high 17 hits Monday, but nearly squandered a nine-run, sixth-inning lead before hanging on for a 10-9 victory over the Phillies to end a 5-3 trip.

“We’re back in the race,” said Mets interim manager Jerry Manuel, whose team is third in the East, 2 1/2 games behind the Phillies.

New York will try to carry some of that offensive momentum into its six-game homestand. The club has a .258 batting average at Shea, but hit .229 in losing four of six games in its most recent stretch there.

The Mets, who took two of three at San Francisco (39-50) from June 2-4, will have to contend with Lincecum (10-1, 2.49 ERA), who was named to next Tuesday’s All-Star game at Yankee Stadium, and is looking to win his seventh consecutive decision.

The second-year right-hander is 6-0 with a 2.84 ERA and 82 strikeouts in 79 1-3 innings in 12 starts since his lone loss on April 29.

Lincecum was solid again Thursday, yielding three runs and seven hits with eight strikeouts in six innings of an 8-3 win over Chicago.

The 24-year-old hurler, the NL leader with 122 strikeouts, credited his teammates for his success.

“I’m just fortunate to get the run support I have,” Lincecum told the Giants’ official Web site. “They’ve done nothing but give me that support and play great defense behind me and allow me to settle down and find a rhythm. I think that’s a big reason why I’m where I am.”

Lincecum, who has received 5.8 runs of support per start, did not get a decision in his only start against the Mets. He allowed three runs and three hits with eight strikeouts in seven innings of San Francisco’s 5-4, 12-inning loss at Shea on May 29, 2007.

The Giants have been idle since a 5-3 loss to Los Angeles on Sunday that wrapped up a 3-4 homestand.

The Mets will turn to Mike Pelfrey (6-6, 4.23), who is looking to parlay his road success into his first win at Shea in almost three months.

The 24-year-old right-hander is 0-4 with a 3.55 ERA in his last six home starts, getting a total of 10 runs of support in going winless since beating Washington on April 15.

Pelfrey, though, has won his last four starts—all on the road—despite a 4.18 ERA.

He pitched well Thursday, however, allowing one run and six hits in seven innings, and also had his first career RBI in an 11-1 win at St. Louis.

Damion Easley was outstanding during the eight-game trip, going 15-for-31 (.484) with seven RBIs. The second baseman has started the last seven games with Luis Castillo on the disabled due to a hip injury.

Easley is hitting .320 (8-for-25) with three RBIs in his last seven games against the Giants.