SPORTSTICKER NL PREVIEW FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- The Philadelphia Phillies hope to avoid their third straight loss tonight when they open a three-game series against the New York Mets at Shea Stadium. After winning seven of eight games, the Phillies have dropped four of their last six. Philadelphia blew a three-run lead in the ninth inning in Wednesday's 10-9 loss at Montreal. Carlton Loewer (2-3, 5.03 ERA) takes the mound for Philadelphia. Loewer faced the Mets on Saturday and was staked to a six-run lead, but wound up surrendering six runs and eight hits in five innings of a no-decision. The righthander is 0-1 in three road starts. New York put a stop to a three-game losing streak on Thursday by sweeping a doubleheader from the Milwaukee Brewers as Robin Ventura became the first player in major league history to hit grand slams in each game of a doubleheader. Benny Agbayani went 5-for-7 with a pair of homers and is hitting .500 (15-for-30) since being recalled from the minors last week. A struggling Orel Hershiser (2-4, 6.62) is on the mound for the Mets. Hershiser has lost consecutive starts, including a defeat Sunday at Philadelphia in which he surrendered four runs and seven hits in six innings. Hershiser is 5-10 lifetime against the Phillies. The Mets took two of three games from Philadelphia last weekend.  