Mets at Padres
The San Diego Padres are enjoying their best stretch of the season and
attempt to defeat the visiting New York Mets for the third consecutive time when the teams continue their four-game set on Saturday. The Padres have allowed
just three runs in the series - all in the ninth inning of Thursday's
contest - and have won six of their last eight games.
New York recorded only three hits in Friday's 2-0 loss and has notched seven in the series as its bats have gone quiet. The Mets are 2-4 this month and have scored 16 runs in six games, half of which came in a victory over lowly Atlanta on Wednesday. San Diego's Jon Jay registered his second three-hit performance of the season on Friday while scoring the team's first run and driving in the other with a single. The Padres have been blanked eight times this season, with both losses in their last eight contests being shutout defeats.
TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, MLB Network, WPIX (New York), FSN San Diego
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Bartolo Colon (2-1, 2.56 ERA) vs. Padres RH James Shields (1-4, 3.23)
Colon defeated the Braves in his last outing, when he scattered seven hits over eight scoreless innings while striking out seven. He has issued only three walks and fanned 28 while giving up three or fewer runs in each of his five starts. Colon is 2-3 with a 4.13 ERA in six career outings against San Diego and has struggled with Melvin Upton Jr. (10-for-33) while dominating Alexei Ramirez (0-for-15).
Shields was winless over his first five starts before beating Colorado in his last turn, when he gave up one run and nine hits in six innings. He has allowed two or fewer runs in three of his last four outings and has given up as many as four just once this season. Shields is 2-1 with a 2.57 ERA in three career starts against New York and has had a lot of success against Curtis Granderson (8-for-64, two homers).
WALK-OFFS
1. The Mets are 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position over the first two contests of the four-game series.
2. San Diego RHP Fernando Rodney saved each of the first two games and hasn't allowed an earned run in 12 appearances.
3. New York SS Asdrubal Cabrera recorded two of his team's three hits Friday and is 6-for-18 with a homer over his last five games.