Mets at Cardinals
The New York Mets haven't beaten a team with a winning record since June 18, but they aren't having any trouble finding a way around sub-.500 foes. The Mets will try to clinch another series win against a team with a losing record when they visit the St. Louis Cardinals in the second of a three-game set on Saturday.
Normal
0
false
false
false
EN-US
X-NONE
X-NONE
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:8.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:107%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
New York is 0-6 against Washington and the Los Angeles Dodgers since June 19 but 8-2 against San Francisco, Miami, Philadelphia and St. Louis in that span after holding on for a 6-5 win on Friday. Mets right fielder Jay Bruce is starting to heat up just in time to increase his trade value in front of the deadline at the end of the month and went 3-for-5 with his 22nd home run on Friday - his second straight game with a blast following a string of four straight hitless games. The Cardinals were hoping to take advantage of some sub-.500 competition to get back into the National League Central race before the All-Star break but instead dropped three of their last four games to the Marlins and the Mets. St. Louis will try to even the series on Saturday behind veteran Adam Wainwright, while New York sends righty Zack Wheeler to the mound.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Zack Wheeler (3-5, 5.01 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (9-5, 5.48)
Wheeler came off the disabled list on July 1 and could not make it through four innings, surrendering a pair of unearned runs on two hits and two walks in 3 2/3 frames against Philadelphia. The 27-year-old has not won since May 20 and did not make it past the second inning in either of his final two starts prior to hitting the DL on June 20. Wheeler is 1-1 with a 4.60 ERA in six road starts.
Wainwright was roughed up in his final frame against Miami on Monday and ended up charged with six runs on eight hits in five innings but still came away with a win. The Georgia native allowed a total of three earned runs and 10 hits across 13 1/3 innings over his two previous starts and owns 21 strikeouts in 18 1/3 frames over the last three. Wainwright faced New York twice last season and surrendered a total of 11 runs - six earned - and 20 hits in 11 2/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Mets OF Michael Conforto (hand) is expected to come off the 10-day DL on Saturday.
2. St. Louis activated CF Dexter Fowler (heel) from the 10-day DL on Friday and watched him hit his 14th home run.
3. New York SS/3B Jose Reyes is 11-for-27 over his last eight games, lifting his batting average from .193 to .214.