Mets at Diamondbacks
The New York Mets hope to put a disastrous weekend behind them when they visit the vastly improved Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday for the opener of their three-game series. The Mets have allowed a total of 35 runs in four straight defeats and were swept of a three-game set at Milwaukee after coughing up a six-run lead over the final four innings on Sunday en route to a demoralizing 11-9 loss.
New York has scored 22 runs during its losing streak and Neil Walker is having a strong month of May, going 18-for-50 with six doubles, two homers, 10 runs scored and 12 RBIs in 12 contests. Zack Wheeler will try to stop the bleeding for the Mets when he takes the mound against Zack Godley of Arizona, which took five of six in the season series last year. The Diamondbacks (21-18), who finished with 69 wins last season, have lost two straight after leaving the bases loaded in a 6-4, 10-inning setback against Pittsburgh on Sunday. Paul Goldschmidt has homered three times in his last two contests to continue a 23-game stretch during which he has registered eight blasts and 26 RBIs while batting .366.
TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), FSN Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Zack Wheeler (2-2, 4.18 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Zack Godley (1-0, 2.25)
Wheeler notched his second victory of the season last time out by limiting San Francisco to one run and two hits over six innings, but he walked four batters for the second straight contest to drive up his pitch count. The 26-year-old Georgia native has allowed just one earned run in three of his last four starts and is holding opponents to a .210 batting average overall. Chris Owings is 2-for-6 versus Wheeler, who is 2-1 with a 2.33 ERA in three career turns against the Diamondbacks.
Godley has been solid in his two starts this season, including a victory over Detroit on Wednesday in which he permitted just one run on four hits and one walk with six strikeouts over seven innings. The 23-year-old Tennessee product, who went 5-4 with a 6.39 ERA last year, held San Diego to two runs on four hits and three walks over five frames in a no-decision on April 26. T.J. Rivera has recorded a double in three at-bats against Godley, who is 1-0 with a 2.16 ERA in two career appearances (one start) versus the Mets.
WALK-OFFS
1. Arizona C Chris Iannetta was placed on the 7-day concussion disabled list and RHP Silvino Bracho was recalled from Triple-A Reno.
2. New York C Rene Rivera has hit safely in eight straight games, going 14-for-33 with eight RBIs in that span.
3. Diamondbacks CF A.J. Pollock suffered a groin injury in the late stages of Sunday’s game and is day-to-day.