Phillies at Mets
The New York Mets have found themselves on the wrong end of some late-inning heroics during their season-high four-game skid. After getting swept over the weekend on their foe's final at-bat, the Mets look to rebound from a four-run 10th inning in a 6-2 setback when they play the second contest of a three-game series versus the visiting Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday.
Jose Reyes' costly drop of a routine popup allowed the tying run in the eighth inning and the veteran is hitting just .100 entering Wednesday's tilt versus right-hander Vince Velasquez, against whom he is 0-for-5 with three strikeouts. Such is life for the struggling offense of New York, which mustered 2.5 runs per game over the last four while batting .165 with an on-base percentage of .270. That's a far cry from the 23 runs and 10 homers the Mets recorded during a three-game sweep last week at Citizens Bank Park. While New York's bats have cooled considerably, Philadelphia's Cesar Hernandez carries an 11-game hitting streak (19-for-49, seven RBIs and 12 runs scored) into Wednesday's tilt against right-hander Robert Gsellman.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, SNY (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Vince Velasquez (0-2, 9.00 ERA) vs. Mets RH Robert Gsellman (0-1, 9.28)
Velasquez struck out 17 batters in his first two starts, but that's where the positives end thus far for a pitcher that figures to be a key component of a young and developing rotation. The 24-year-old was tattooed for five runs on as many hits and walked four batters in five innings of a 5-4 setback versus the Mets last Wednesday. Michael Conforto is 4-for-7 (.571) with two homers and three RBIs versus Velasquez while Asdrubal Cabrera is 4-for-9 (.444).
Gsellman was fortunate to walk away with a no-decision on Thursday after allowing a career-high eight runs on five hits while issuing three free passes in 4 2/3 innings at Miami. The 23-year-old fared significantly better in his last two starts versus Philadelphia, scattering three hits and striking out eight in seven innings of a 17-0 rout on Sept. 25 before allowing just one run and fanning seven in six frames of a 5-1 victory five days later. Freddie Galvis is 3-for-8 (.375) with a double against Gsellman, who has limited the rest of the team to a .256 batting average (10-for-39).
WALK-OFFS
1. Philadelphia CF Odubel Herrera, who homered on Tuesday, has four hits and three runs scored in four contests versus New York this season.
2. Mets RH Jeurys Familia will serve the final contest of his 15-game suspension for domestic abuse on Wednesday.
3. Phillies 3B Maikel Franco is mired in an 0-for-17 stretch since going 5-for-11 with two homers and six RBIs in the previous series versus New York.