Phillies at Mets
The New York Mets can secure their third straight series victory when they host the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday in the continuation of a three-game set. After finishing a 10-game road trip with five wins in their final six contests, the Mets rode a seven-inning gem by Jacob deGrom to a 2-1 triumph over the Phillies to begin the series Friday.
DeGrom struck out 12 and teamed with three relievers to hold the top five hitters in Philadelphia's lineup to a combined 0-for-19. Curtis Granderson's run-scoring single got the scoring started for New York and the veteran outfielder is hitting .378 during a nine-game hitting streak. The Phillies are 3-4 on their current nine-game road trip, although two of the losses have come by one run. Zack Wheeler (biceps) will come off the disabled list to make the start for New York opposite Philadelphia veteran Jeremy Hellickson.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, SNY (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Jeremy Hellickson (5-5, 4.40 ERA) vs. Mets RH Zack Wheeler (3-5, 5.29)
Hellickson has rebounded from a bit of a rough patch to post back-to-back solid efforts, allowing a total of two runs and nine hits in 13 innings. The 30-year-old Iowa native, who is 0-4 over his last seven starts, has lasted exactly six frames in four consecutive road outings. Hellickson has yet to face the Mets this year but struggled against them in 2016, giving up 21 runs in 24 1/3 innings spread over five starts (1-3).
Wheeler was on an impressive roll before he gave up 15 runs in only 3 2/3 innings over two starts and was promptly placed on the disabled list in mid-June. He was 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA in two outings against the Phillies in April and is 3-1 with a 3.07 mark in seven career starts versus the division rivals. The 27-year-old owns a 4.81 ERA in his career at Citi Field and that number balloons to 5.91 in 2017.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Mets finished June with 50 home runs, the most the team has ever hit in any month.
2. Phillies RHP Pat Neshek worked a scoreless frame Friday to reduce his ERA through 31 2/3 innings to 0.57.
3. New York has won 13 of the last 18 meetings.