Phillies at Mets
The New York Mets are making a run at .500 in front of the All-Star break and are winners of four straight. The Mets will try to make it five in a row and eight of nine when they host the Philadelphia Phillies in the finale of a three-game series on Sunday.
New York is benefitting from a recent schedule that includes sub-.500 foes San Francisco, Miami and the Phillies but is doing what it needs to do against those clubs in the pitching department while allowing an average of 2.6 runs in the seven victories. The pitching wasn't quite as sharp on Saturday, when Zack Wheeler came off the disabled list and couldn't get through the fourth inning, but Asdrubal Cabrera capped a four-run seventh inning with a go-ahead, two-run homer and recorded multiple hits for the fifth time in eight games since coming off the disabled list. The Phillies (26-53) own the worst record in the majors and are losers of 18 of their last 23 contests. Philadelphia will try to avoid the sweep with rookie Nick Pivetta on the hill while New York counters with Rafael Montero.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, SNY (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Nick Pivetta (1-4, 5.40 ERA) vs. Mets RH Rafael Montero (1-4, 5.63)
Pivetta is coming off the worst start of his brief big-league career after serving up six runs on seven hits and five walks over 2 2/3 innings to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday. The 24-year-old allowed a total of three runs and struck out 19 while walking three across 13 innings in his previous two turns but could not find his way into the win column. Pivetta is seeing the division-rival Mets for the first time.
Montero is getting an opportunity to keep a rotation spot and earned a win in a start at San Francisco last Sunday while surrendering one run and five hits in 5 2/3 innings. The Dominican Republic native did not fare as well in his other two spot starts - allowing a total of eight runs in 6 2/3 innings - but thrived as a long reliever in two June appearances before earning another chance in the rotation. Montero suffered a loss in relief against Philadelphia on April 18, managing one out while yielding four runs - three earned - on four hits.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Mets placed OF Michael Conforto (hand bruise) on the 10-day DL, retroactive to Wednesday.
2. Philadelphia CF Odubel Herrera is 0-for-12 with six strikeouts in his last four games.
3. New York INF T.J. Rivera is 5-for-11 with three extra-base hits and three RBIs in his last three contests.