Giants at Mets
Jeff Samardzija is still in search of his first victory of the season as he prepares to make his seventh start when the San Francisco Giants continue their three-game series at the New York Mets on Tuesday night. San Francisco owns the worst record in the majors at 11-22 and has dropped four in a row after New York's walk-off victory Monday night.
Samardzija enters this start against New York after a dominant performance at the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday, registering a season-high 11 strikeouts. The Giants have been outscored 35-8 during their four-game skid and were unable to protect a pair of leads in the series opener, courtesy of home runs by Hunter Pence and Buster Posey. The Mets improved to 7-3 in their last 10 games after Neil Walker delivered their first walk-off win of the season with a two-out single in the ninth. Right-hander Zack Wheeler, who is 0-2 with a 5.63 ERA in three starts at Citi Field this season, will oppose Samardzija.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, NBC Sports California (San Francisco), SNY (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Jeff Samardzija (0-4, 5.03 ERA) vs. Mets RH Zack Wheeler (1-2, 4.78)
Samardzija stumbled out of the gate 0-4, but he is coming off a pair of strong outings that each resulted in no-decisions. The 32-year-old limited the Dodgers to one unearned run and three hits over eight innings and gave up two earned runs over seven innings in his previous turn. Samardzija will benefit by missing the injured Yoenis Cespedes, who is 5-for-16 with three homers against him.
Wheeler, whose last start in Atlanta was curtailed due to rain in the fourth inning, is still trying to find his form after missing the past two years due to Tommy John surgery. He gave up four runs in a season-high seven innings versus Washington on April 23 and lasted 4 2/3 innings in a rematch with the Nationals six days later. Pence and Posey are a combined 0-for-11 versus Wheeler.
WALK-OFFS
1. Mets RHP Matt Harvey, suspended three days for a violation of team rules, likely will start Friday.
2. San Francisco has collected 21 hits during the current losing streak.
3. New York LHP Tommy Milone, claimed off waivers from Milwaukee on Sunday, will start the series finale on Wednesday.