(My Sportsbook) - Big-ticket southpaw Oliver Perez makes his first start since signing a lucrative free-agent deal when the New York Mets close out a three-game opening-week series with the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park.

A 27-year-old native of Culiacan, Mexico, Perez was 10-7 with a 4.22 earned run average for the Mets in 2008, following up on a surprising 2007 campaign that saw him win 15 games over 29 starts.

He went to the open market following 2008 and wound up back in New York after getting a three-year deal worth $36 million.

Perez made two starts against the Reds in 2008, winning one and losing one while giving up nine hits and five earned runs over 12 innings.

For Cincinnati, veteran right-hander Bronson Arroyo takes the mound for the first time in 2009 as he tries to follow up on a season that saw him win a career-best 15 games.

A 32-year-old product of Key West, Florida, Arroyo won 10 games with the Boston Red Sox in 2004 and 14 in 2005 before coming to the Reds in an offseason trade for outfielder Wily Mo Pena.

He was 14-11 in 2006 with Cincinnati, but slumped to 9-15 in 2007 before the bounce-back to 15-11 with a 4.77 ERA in 200 innings last season.

It was the fourth straight 200-inning year for Arroyo, who's made 103 straight starts over three years with the Reds, but was sidelined briefly in spring training while battling a recurring issue with carpal tunnel syndrome.

The original plan was to push back his start to Sunday in favor of Micah Owings, but the improvement shown in his last few spring workouts convinced Reds manager Dusty Baker to put him back in the No. 3 slot.

Arroyo faced the Mets twice last season, winning both while allowing eight hits and three earned runs in 16 innings.

On Wednesday, Carlos Delgado clubbed a two-run homer and finished with four RBI as the Mets overcame yet another rocky ninth inning to earn a 9-7 win.

Brian Schneider had a three-run double and Carlos Beltran added a two-run single for the Mets, while David Wright scored three times.

Mike Pelfrey (1-0) got the win after giving up four runs on five hits over five innings. Francisco Rodriguez struggled with his command, but still managed to nail down his second save in as many tries.

Joey Votto finished 3-for-5 with a three-run homer for Cincinnati, while Ramon Hernandez drove in a pair. Edinson Volquez (0-1) was tagged for five runs -- four earned -- on six hits in 4 1/3 innings to take the loss.