Mets at Padres
The San Diego Padres cooled off New York in the opener of a four-game
set and look to post another victory over the visiting Mets in Friday's
encounter. New York had won 13 of 16 games before being mesmerized by
San Diego right-hander Colin Rea, who didn't allow a hit until two outs
in the seventh inning and took a shutout into the ninth before needing
bullpen help to finish off a 5-3 victory.
Rea gave up three hits and departed after right fielder Curtis Granderson slugged a leadoff homer in the ninth, and New York made things interesting when red-hot center fielder Yoenis Cespedes hit a two-run blast off reliever Brad Hand. San Diego reclamation project Fernando Rodney retired the final two hitters for his seventh consecutive save and the 39-year old, who lost his closer's job with the Seattle Mariners last season, has yet to allow an earned run in 11 appearances this season. The Padres have won five of their last seven games as they continue to attempt to recover from a poor start. The Mets (17-10) have the fourth-best record in the majors but trail the Washington Nationals by 1 1/2-games in the National League East.
TV: 10:40 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), FSN San Diego
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Noah Syndergaard (2-1, 2.51 ERA) vs. Padres LH Drew Pomeranz (2-3, 2.48)
Syndergaard lost his last outing when he allowed four runs and five hits in 5 2/3 against the San Francisco Giants. He has given up seven runs in his last two starts after allowing just two total runs in his first three turns. Syndergaard is 1-1 with a 5.25 ERA in two career starts against the Padres and has struck out 19 in 12 innings.
Pomeranz lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers despite a stellar outing in which he gave up one run and three hits in seven innings. The Padres were blanked 1-0 by Clayton Kershaw, marking the second time in five starts that Pomeranz was on the wrong end of a shutout defeat. Pomeranz lasted just four innings in his one career start against the Mets, giving up two runs (one earned) and five hits on April 27, 2012, as a member of the Colorado Rockies.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cespedes has eight homers and 24 RBIs over his last 15 games.
2. San Diego C Derek Norris went 3-for-3 with a homer in the opener after being 3-for-38 over his previous 11 games.
3. New York 2B Neil Walker was hitless in four at-bats Thursday and is 0-for-13 over the past four games.