Tuesday, June 7, 2016
PNC Park • Pittsburgh, PA
LHP Steven Matz (7-1, 2.60) vs. LHP Jonathon Niese (5-2, 4.36)
SNY • WOR 710 AM • ESPN 1050 AM
The New York Mets turn to Steven Matz as they look to bounce back from Sunday’s 1-0 loss against Jon Niese and the Pirates in the first game of tonight’s doubleheader.
The last time the Mets played the Pirates in a doubleheader was September 19, 2004 in Pittsburgh. The Mets lost both games, losing Game 1, 1-0 and falling in Game 2, 6-1. The Mets played one doubleheader last year, losing both games (3-1 & 2-0) to Washington on October 3 at Citi Field.
The Mets went 0-6 vs. the Pirates last year. It was the first time in team history they were swept in a season series by Pittsburgh. New York has lost seven straight to the Pirates dating back to June 29, 2014.
Steven Matz is 11-1 in 15 regular season games in the majors. He has won seven straight decisions and is 7-0 with a 1.51 ERA over eight starts during that stretch. Matz has issued nine walks and struck out 52 this season.
Mets Lineup
- Curtis Granderson – RF
- Asdrubal Cabrera – SS
- Yoenis Cespedes – CF
- Neil Walker – 2B
- Wilmer Flores – 3B
- James Loney – 1B
- Michael Conforto – LF
- Rene Rivera – C
- Steven Matz – LHP
Pirates Lineup
- Josh Harrison, 2B
- Andrew McCutchen – CF
- David Freese – 1B
- Jung Ho Kang – 3B
- Starling Marte – LF
- Francisco Cervelli – C
- Gregory Polanco – RF
- Jordy Mercer – SS
- Jon Niese – LHP
Matz is 7-1 over 9 games and a 2.60 ERA over 55.1 innings this season. His last outing isn’t as bad as it looks, where he allowed 3 ER over 5.2 innings. He was smooth sailing through 5 and then things fell apart in the 6th (and then really fell apart for the Mets in the 8th).
This will be his first time facing the Pirates in his major league career and no one on the Pirates roster has faced him.
The Mets finally get a chance to strike against Jon Niese. He’s 5-2 this season over 11 starts and 64.0 innings with a 4.36 ERA. Things are better for Niese of late, in his last four starts he has pitched 24.0 innings with a 2.25 ERA and a 2-0 record. (So at least in his perspective, he has the Mets right where he wants them) This will be his first time facing the Mets, since he is a homegrown Met. A few Mets have seen Niese though:
- Walker 2-13
- Granderson 3-9
- Loney 1-7
- Cabrera 0-3
- Rivera 0-2
Let’s Go Mets!
