Mets at Phillies
Yoenis Cespedes started his season with only four hits in his first seven games, but finally busted loose while pushing the New York Mets to the verge of a series sweep entering Wednesday’s finale at the Philadelphia Phillies. Cespedes homered three times in his first four at-bats of Tuesday’s 14-4 blowout victory, finishing the night 4-for-6 with three runs scored and five RBIs as the Mets won their third straight.
New York’s offense had struggled of late, entering Tuesday with just 15 hits in its previous three games, but pounded Philadelphia pitching for 20 - including seven homers (two from Lucas Duda). The Phillies’ bullpen had to cover 6 2/3 innings after starter Clay Buchholz left with a strained right forearm with one out in the third and trailing 6-1. Philadelphia has allowed seven runs or more three times in eight games and 10 or more hits on four occasions. Third baseman Maikel Franco, who led the Phillies with 25 homers a season ago, belted his first of 2017 in the second inning Tuesday.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), TCN (Philadelphia)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Zack Wheeler (0-1, 11.25 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Vince Velasquez (0-1, 9.00)
The best news for Wheeler is he emerged healthy following his first major-league appearance since 2014, giving up five runs on six hits in four innings of a loss to the Miami Marlins on Friday. He struck out four and threw 54 of his 80 pitches for strikes with one walk. The 26-year-old Wheeler was successful against the Phillies before missing all of 2015 and 2016 with injuries, going 2-1 with a 2.97 ERA in five starts.
Velasquez struck out 10 hitters in his season debut Friday against Washington, but took the loss as two homers knocked him out after four innings and 94 pitches. The 24-year-old averaged 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings in going 8-6 with a 4.12 ERA in 24 starts for the Phillies last season. Velasquez pitched very well against the Mets in 2016, going 1-1 with a 1.76 ERA and 20 strikeouts in three starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. New York RHP Matt Harvey (2-0) exited Tuesday’s game in the sixth inning with left hamstring tightness, which seemed to occur after covering first base.
2. With Tuesday’s victory, the Mets have won 19 of the past 23 series with Philadelphia dating back to 2013.
3. Mets SS Asdrubal Cabrera finished a triple shy of the cycle Tuesday as the top three spots in the New York lineup went 9-for-16 with eight runs scored and seven RBIs.