Curtain Coming Back Up

UNDATED (AP) _ Major League Baseball opens Act Two of its 2007 regular-season drama Thursday night on six stages around the country. <br/><br/>Only two of the National League's 16 teams begin the post-All-Star-game

Thursday, July 12th 2007, 4:03 pm

By: News On 6

UNDATED (AP) _ Major League Baseball opens Act Two of its 2007 regular-season drama Thursday night on six stages around the country.

Only two of the National League's 16 teams begin the post-All-Star-game portion of their schedule. The East-leading New York Mets will host Cincinnati. The home team is 48-39 and two games ahead of second-place Atlanta in the division race. At 36-52, the Reds are tied with Washington for the worst record in the senior circuit. Cincinnati would be in even worse shape if it hadn't cobbled together a four-game winning streak ahead of the break.

The Tampa Bay Devil Rays dropped eleven straight before the All-Star game and open their second half Thursday night against the visiting New York Yankees. The D-rays are a major league-worst 34-53. The Yanks are tied with Toronto for second in the American League East, ten games behind Boston. The Red Sox will be looking to snap a three-game losing streak when they host the Blue Jays.

AL Central leader Detroit rides a five-game winning streak into Seattle to take on a Mariners club that's won three in a row. The M's have pulled to within two and a-half of the West-leading LA Angels, who don't get back at it until Friday. The Tigers have a slim one-game advantage over idle Cleveland.

The Chicago White Sox will be out to earn a third-straight victory when they play at Baltimore.

And the Oakland A's look to snap a three-game losing streak when they play at Minnesota. The Twins have dropped two straight.