NEW YORK — Jerry Manuel insisted that the All-Star break was coming at a good time for the Mets. A chance to rest a tired bullpen and maybe get some banged- up guys back.

Then Carlos Beltran hit a three-run homer yesterday, Mike Pelfrey dominated over eight innings and New York pounded the Colorado Rockies, 7-0, for a ninth straight win.

Care to reconsider?

"I'm really looking forward to getting the second half going," Manuel said, smiling. "The way our pitching staff is going right now, I'm very excited about what's to come."

The Mets were 5 1/2 games back in the NL East on July 4. But after a tumultuous first half that included Manuel replacing the fired Willie Randolph, they'll resume play Thursday at Cincinnati trailing division-leading Philadelphia by just a half-game.

New York's nine-game win streak is its best since April 16-25, 2000. A big reason is pitching. The Mets have allowed just four runs over their past six games, capped by Pelfrey's sixth straight win and second straight shutout.

Mixing a four-seam fastball with a sharp sinker, Pelfrey (8-6) allowed only six hits and didn't walk a batter for the second consecutive game.

The big right-hander began laboring in the eighth, though, putting runners on first and second with two outs. But with the crowd chanting his name, Pelfrey got Scott Podsednik to pop out to third base.

"That was awesome. Last year I remember walking off the mound several times getting booed," said Pelfrey, who was 3-8 in 2007. "I never imagined it like this, but I never thought I wasn't capable of it."