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NEW YORK -- The New York Mets feel far better about themselves midway through a four-game series against the Chicago Cubs than they did beforehand.However, the Mets and Cubs both know how quickly things can change before the series ends Sunday.The Mets will look to win their third straight against the Cubs on Saturday night when the teams meet at Citi Field. New York hit five homers Friday in a 10-2 win marred by three rain delays.Its baseball, and theres nights where the good teams get beat, Mets manager Terry Collins said. We had two well-pitched games. Weve held that team down. Theyve got a very, very good team, and weve got to continue to play well.The Mets (42-37) scored just 13 runs in the six games prior to Thursdays series opener, but they outscored the Cubs by a total of 14-5 the past two nights.I realize that its the gloomiest days when you lose here, or if you lose two or three in a row, its very hard to deal with, Collins said. But its a long year, and you can have some up times as well.The Cubs (51-28) have spent most of the year enjoying those up times, but they are just 12-13 since June 5 and 4-8 in their past 12 games.Chicago remains 10 games ahead of the second-place St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central, but the Cubs are only 1 1/2 games ahead of the San Francisco Giants (51-31) in the race for the NLs best record and are in a virtual tie with the Texas Rangers (52-29) for the best record in baseball.Not surprisingly, perpetually upbeat Cubs manager Joe Maddon chose to look on the bright side Friday.Im very happy with where were at, Maddon said. We talked about getting off to a good start so that we can absorb some tough moments. The tough moment for us right now is playing .500. Not bad.Its also easier for a manager to remain optimistic when he has the reigning Cy Young Award winner and an ace left-hander ready to start the next two games. Jake Arrieta, who is 12-2 record and 2.10 ERA, is scheduled to start Saturdays game against Mets right-hander Bartolo Colon (6-4, 2.86 ERA).Veteran Jon Lester (9-3, 2.03) is scheduled to pitch the series finale Sunday afternoon against Mets right-hander Noah Syndergaard (8-3, 2.49).Its the power of 24 hours, Maddon said. Weve got two good pitchers coming up and a chance to split the series.Arrieta will be looking to snap out of a mini-skid Saturday. Over his past two starts, Arrieta allowed seven runs (six earned) and issued nine walks in 10 innings.In five career starts against the Mets, Arrieta is 2-1 with a 1.82 ERA.Colon, the oldest player in baseball at 43, is 3-1 with a 1.80 ERA in his past seven starts. He is 0-2 with a 3.89 ERA in six career starts against the Cubs, who are one of just two teams -- along with the Arizona Diamondbacks -- that Colon has never beaten.Rene Robert Avalanche Jersey . He just needed to be his best twisting, turning acrobatic self. 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The team signed head coach Paul MacLean to a three-year contract extension Thursday. MacLean won the 2013 Jack Adams Award as the NHLs top coach after leading the injury-riddled Senators to a 25-17-6 record. The team missed star forward Jason Spezza and Norris Trophy-winning defenceman Erik Karlsson for most of the season. The Senators eliminated the favoured Montreal Canadiens in five games in the first round of the post-season before losing to Pittsburgh in the Eastern Conference semifinals. "I thought the commitment that we made to go three more years is really a confidence thing," MacLean said Thursday. "At the same time, I was prepareed to just do my job, but this is what I wanted and were really excited about it.dddddddddddd" In two years with the Senators, MacLean has compiled a 66-48-16 record in 130 regular-season games. Prior to joining Ottawa, MacLean spent six seasons as an assistant coach to Mike Babcock with the Detroit Red Wings. Financial terms of the contract were not disclosed, but Senators GM Bryan Murray said the two sides felt they were able to come to an agreement on what was fair. MacLean says hes already looking forward to next season. "Were going to work to get better again," said MacLean. "Were going to work every day to get better and if we do that were going to like where we are at the end." ' ' '