New York Mets at Pittsburgh Pirates
Sunday, 1:35 PM – PNC Park
Dillon Gee (6-7, 4.60) vs. Gerrit Cole (4-2, 3.68)
Starting Lineup
- Eric Young, Jr. – LF
- Daniel Murphy – 2B
- David Wright – 3B
- Marlon Byrd – RF
- Josh Satin – 1B
- Kirk Nieuwenhuis – CF
- John Buck – C
- Omar Quintanilla – SS
- Dillon Gee – RHP
Game Notes
The Mets have 40 wins going into the last game of the first half today. The Mets were 46-40 after the first-half in 2012, 46-45 in 2011, 48-40 in 2010 and 42-45 in 2009.
Coming into the game with a 4-1 record and a 2.47 ERA over his previous seven starts, Dillon Gee struggled with his command in his previous start against the Giants, allowing five runs on nine hits in 6 2/3 innings. Gee has dominated the Pirates in four career starts, going 2-0 with a 1.73 ERA.
Prior to today’s game, the Mets will activate RHP Scott Atchison from the 15-Day Disabled List and option Jordany Valdespin to Las Vegas (AAA) of the Pacific Coast League. Atchison will wear #50 and will be available for today’s contest. He pitched a scoreless inning on July 11 for Binghamton (AA) of Eastern League. Atchison last threw a pitch in a major league game on May 13 at St. Louis.
Justin Turner is scheduled to continue a rehab assignment Sunday with Class A St. Lucie. Turner went 0-for-4 with a walk as the DH for the Gulf Coast League Mets on Saturday.
Jenrry Mejia, on a rehab assignment, tossed five scoreless innings as Binghamton completed a doubleheader sweep of Portland. Wilmer Flores, who had been due to play in the Triple-A All-Star Game on Wednesday, departed Sunday’s Las Vegas game after one inning with a hamstring injury.
Mets prospects Noah Syndergaard (Team USA) and Rafael Montero (World) will start opposite each other on the mound during today’s Futures Game at Citi Field at 2:00 PM. It will be televised live on ESPN2 and the teams will be managed by Mookie Wilson and Edgardo Alfonzo.
The celebrity softball game featuring Mike Piazza, John Franco, Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden and Rickey Henderson will be played today at Citi Field after the Futures Game. It will be televised by ESPN on Monday, after the 8 p.m. Home Run Derby, at approximately 10:30 p.m.
Hall of Famer and former Mets right-hander Tom Seaver will serve as Grand Marshal of the ninth annual Major League Baseball All-Star Red Carpet Show presented by Chevrolet on Tuesday. The marching band from the Scholar’s Academy in Rockaway Park, Queens, will lead the procession with Seaver. Mets third baseman David Wright and several Mets legends, including Darryl Strawberry, Al Leiter, Mike Piazza and Dwight Gooden, will also be part of the event.
Game Preview
The Mets play their last game before the All-Star break today as they try to avoid the sweep in Pittsburgh. Last night the Mets got a nice spot start from Carlos Torres but the offense and bullpen could not keep up as the Mets ended up falling for the second straight game. Dillon Gee will be making the start for Amazin’s today as he faces off Gerrit Cole.
Dillon Gee is 6-7 over 18 games while pitching 103.2 innings with a 4.60 ERA. His last start against SF was his first poor one in a while where he allowed 5 ER over 6.2 innings in a game the Mets eventually won. He faced the Bucs earlier this season allowing 1 ER over 5.0 innings of work. The Pirates have the following numbers against Gee:
McCutchen 3-12
Jones 3-10, 2B
Tabata 4-10, 2B
Martin 0-7
Alvarez 1-4
Barmes 1-4
Cole is 4-2 over 6 starts this year pitching 36.2 innings with a 3.68 ERA. In the month of June he has pitched 12.1 innings allowing 5 ER. This is also Cole’s rookie season. In AAA this year he was 5-3 with a 2.91 ERA. Today will be his first time facing the Mets and anyone on the Mets roster in a major league game.
Lets Go Mets!
