(Sports Network) - The New York Mets' offense delivered what could be viewed as a breakthrough performance last night. Whether or not the team's moderate scoring burst was an aberration or a sign of things to come will be determined in this evening's finale of a three-game series with Manny Ramirez and the Los Angeles Dodgers from Citi Field.

After mustering a total of three runs during a four-game losing streak that preceded Wednesday's matchup, the Mets bettered that output and ended their slide with last night's 5-4 victory. New York stopped a 22-inning scoreless drought with a run in the bottom of the second, then put up three more in the third to build a lead it would not relinquish.

David Wright and Jeremy Reed came through with RBI singles during the third to help Oliver Perez win his return to the mound after a two-month absence.

Perez (2-2), who had not pitched in the majors since May 2 due to tendinitis in his right knee, overcame seven walks to hold the Dodgers to two runs over the first five innings.

"Sometimes you don't have command, but you have to make sure you make the important out," said Perez afterward. "The game is not easy. When you have an opportunity to change anything you have to do your best. Today we had very good defense."

Francisco Rodriguez surrendered a solo homer to Ramirez in the ninth inning that pulled Los Angeles within 5-4, but the All-Star closer held on to record his 22nd save of the year.

Matt Kemp went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and Rafael Furcal finished with two hits and a pair of RBI for the National League West-leading Dodgers, who had won four out of five to begin the month of July.

The Mets won for only the third time in their last 12 contests, and they've scored two runs or fewer eight times during that span. The club stands in fourth place in the NL East standings, 4 1/2 games behind division-leading Philadelphia.

New York's shaky offense will be tested tonight by veteran Randy Wolf. The Dodgers left-hander has been very reliable during the first half of this season, even though he hasn't notched a victory since May 28.

Wolf is 0-2 with a 4.66 earned run average over his past six starts, although he's pitched well enough to win in each of his last two times out. After allowing two runs in a six-inning no-decision against Colorado on June 29, he limited San Diego to a run on four hits over six frames this past Saturday at Petco Park. Wolf added eight strikeouts without issuing a walk, but wound up not factoring in the outcome of his team's eventual 7-4 loss.

The 32-year-old also pitched well in a no-decision against the Mets in Los Angeles back on May 18, yielding two runs through 7 2/3 frames of a game the Dodgers won in extra innings. Wolf is an impressive 11-5 with a 3.30 ERA in 29 lifetime starts against New York, a team he faced often during his tenure with the Phillies from 1999-2006.

Livan Hernandez, who takes the mound for the Mets in tonight's finale, is no stranger to the Dodgers either. The well-traveled right-hander has made 29 previous starts against Los Angeles and owns a 9-13 record with a 4.30 ERA in those games.

Hernandez permitted just one run over seven innings in a May 20 appearance at Dodger Stadium, but ended up without a decision after leaving with the game tied at 1-1. The 34-year-old Cuban has not been nearly that sharp as of late, however, as he's lost three straight starts and is winless in five mound trips since twirling seven shutout innings to defeat Washington on June 7.

His most recent start was his shortest of the season, as Hernandez lasted just three innings and was bombarded for seven runs and 10 hits in a loss to the rival Phillies last Friday at Citizens Bank Park.

The Dodgers have won four of five 2009 meetings with the Mets, but have not taken a series from New York as the visiting team since winning two of three tests at Shea Stadium from August 27-29, 2004.