Mets at Yankees
The white-hot New York Mets have added extra spice to the upcoming edition of the Subway Series, taking the best record in baseball and a franchise record-tying 11-game streak into the Bronx on Friday in the series opener against the New York Yankees. The Mets finished off a sweep of Atlanta on Thursday to complete the first perfect 10-game homestand in club annals and match their best start through 16 games at 13-3.
"It's a lot of fun in here right now. It's a lot of fun to be a Met," said second baseman Daniel Murphy, who drove in four runs in Thursday's 6-3 victory. While the Yankees can't match the gaudy numbers of their cross-city rivals, they are on a roll of their own after concluding a 7-3 road trip by taking three of four from Detroit. The Yankees have won six of seven, including the final three versus the Tigers, who owned the league's top record entering the series. "The stadium should be rocking," Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez said. "Our fans are ready and their fans are ready, too."
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, WPIX, WFAN
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Jacob deGrom (2-1, 0.93 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Michael Pineda (2-0, 5.00)
There has been no sophomore slump for deGrom, who yielded a two-run homer in the first inning of his season debut and hasn't allowed a run since. The reigning National League Rookie of the Year struck out eight in seven scoreless innings versus Miami on Saturday after blanking Philadelphia for 6 1/3 innings in his previous turn. DeGrom was a 1-0 loser to the Yankees in his major league debut, giving up one run on four hits.
Pineda followed up a shaky performance at Baltimore by winning his second straight start at Tampa Bay last time out, permitting three runs on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings. He was knocked around for five runs on nine hits but also had a season-high nine strikeouts in a 6-5 victory over the Orioles. Pineda, who will be making his first start versus the Mets, was 3-1 with a 1.59 ERA in six outings at Yankee Stadium last season.
WALK-OFFS
1. DeGrom is riding a scoreless streak of 18 1/3 innings.
2. Yankees CF Jacoby Ellsbury, who scored both runs in Thursday's 2-1 win, is 4-for-27 lifetime against the Mets.
3. The away team has prevailed in the last six meetings while the Mets have won four straight at Yankee Stadium.