Phillies at Mets
The Philadelphia Phillies found their way into the win column Saturday and look to claim their first series of the season Sunday, when they visit the New York Mets for the rubber match of their three-game set. The Phillies opened the season with four straight losses before nipping the Mets 1-0 on Saturday behind a veteran slugger and a young hurler.
Ryan Howard hit his second homer of the young season in support of Vince Velasquez's six strong innings as Philadelphia avoided its first 0-5 start since 1934. Still, the Phillies have scored two runs or fewer in four of their five games, while the Mets are 2-2 thus far despite allowing a total of seven runs. Both teams turn to their Opening Day starters on Sunday as Philadelphia aims to win its second straight series from New York. The Phillies surprisingly swept the Mets in the final week of 2015 after losing 14 of the first 16 matchups between the teams last season.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, TCN (Philadelphia), SNY (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Jeremy Hellickson (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Mets RH Matt Harvey (0-1, 4.76)
Hellickson yielded only an unearned run over six innings against Cincinnati on Opening Day, striking out six without issuing a walk in his Phillies debut. Curtis Granderson is 3-for-17 with seven strikeouts versus Hellickson, although he's the only Met who has homered against the former AL Rookie of the Year. Hellickson gave up two runs over six innings in his only start against New York a season ago.
Harvey gave up four runs (three earned), eight hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings versus Kansas City on Opening Day. He was 2-1 with a 4.91 ERA against Philadelphia last season and is 6-1 with a 2.44 ERA versus the Phillies. Howard and Odubel Herrera are the two Phillies with the most career at-bats against Harvey, and they are a combined 4-for-25 with 12 strikeouts against him.
WALK-OFFS
1. Granderson is 1-for-16 with six strikeouts on the young season.
2. Phillies 2B Cesar Hernandez has three multi-hit performances in four outings this year.
3. The Mets hit the road Monday for the opener of a three-game set at Miami, while the Phillies have their home opener Monday against San Diego.