Phillies at Mets
The New York Mets send ace Noah Syndergaard to the mound looking for another strong pitching performance as they go for a sweep of a two-game home series against the rival Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday afternoon. Matt Harvey and four relievers allowed just three hits in a 2-0 victory over the Phillies in frigid conditions Tuesday night as the Mets won for the third time in four games to open the season.
Free-agent signing Todd Frazier, who was just 2-for-10 in the first three games with his new club, had an RBI double among two hits and scored a run in Tuesday’s triumph for New York, which has allowed six runs in its three wins. Syndergaard, who won the season opener, will face fellow right-hander Aaron Nola in the series finale as Philadelphia tries to avoid a 1-4 start on the road before starting a six-game homestand. The Phillies gave up 27 runs in the opening series against Atlanta, so Tuesday’s performance showed some progress, but they could not get anything going with the bats as they managed three singles and left seven on base. Philadelphia left fielder Rhys Hoskins continued his strong start (6-for-14) with one of the hits, but was held without an RBI for the first time in four games.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, No TV
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Aaron Nola (0-0, 1.69 ERA) vs. Mets RH Noah Syndergaard (1-0, 6.00)
Nola did not get a decision in his 2018 debut on Thursday despite limiting Atlanta to one run on three hits and one walk over 5 1/3 innings. The 24-year-old LSU product won a career-best 12 games last season with a 3.54 ERA, but was way better at home (9-5, 2.98 ERA) than on the road (3-6, 4.24). Yoenis Cespedes is 3-for-8 with a homer in his career against Nola, who went 2-0 with a 3.75 ERA and held the Mets to a .209 batting average in 2017.
Syndergaard gave up four runs on six hits in his season debut, but he battled his way through six innings while striking out 10 and walking no one. The 25-year-old Texan was 1-2 during an injury-plagued 2017 season, but registered a 1.35 ERA in five appearances during spring training. Maikel Franco is 4-for-13 while Odubel Herrera is just 1-for-17 against Syndergaard, who has handled the Phillies with a 4-1 record and 1.78 ERA in six career games.
WALK-OFFS
1. Philadelphia 1B Carlos Santana, a key free-agent signing, was hitless in three at-bats Tuesday and is 2-for-14 to start the season.
2. New York CF Brandon Nimmo went 0-for-3 in his second start Tuesday after missing the last game with flu-like symptoms.
3. Opponents are batting .306 against Phillies pitching in the early going, last in the majors.