Starting Lineups
New York Mets
- Mike Baxter RF
- Justin Turner 3B
- Daniel Murphy 2B
- Lucas Duda LF
- John Buck C
- Ike Davis 1B
- Ruben Tejada SS
- Jordany Valdespin CF
- Matt Harvey RHP
Miami Marlins
- Juan Pierre LF
- Donovan Solano 2B
- Giancarlo Stanton RF
- Placido Polanco 3B
- Greg Dobbs 1B
- Justin Ruggiano CF
- Rob Brantly C
- Nick Green SS
- Jose Fernandez RHP
Game Alert!
David Wright is out of the game nursing a stiff neck. He told the team’s training staff about during yesterday’s game, but opted to stay in the game and tough it out. Manager Terry Collins said he didn’t want to push it and make things worse so he decided to have Wright have it checked out and get examined by a doctor, according to Marc Carig of Newsday.
Game Notes
- Catcher John Buck’s 23 RBIs are three shy of Jeff Kent’s team record for RBIs in April, set in 1994.
- Ruben Tejada is hitting .353 over his current five-game hitting streak.
- Wright snapped a 77-game errorless streak — the longest in franchise history for a third baseman and the longest current stretch at the position by a big leaguer — on a ground ball in Sunday’s first inning.
- David Wright ranks fourth in the National League with a .436 on-base percentage and Lucas Duda is fifth with a .429 on-base percentage. New York is tied for fifth in the NL as a team with a .317 on-base percentage.
- Over the weekend Frank Francisco threw 25 pitches in a throwing session and admitted he did not feel great after his outing. Francisco has made two rehab appearances with Single-A St. Lucie since being shutdown early in Spring Training after experiencing discomfort in his elbow.
- Pedro Feliciano had been hospitalized with a severe case of food poisoning, but the Mets hope to have him back on a mound this week. “He’s all good,” agent Melvin Roman told ESPN New York on Sunday about Feliciano’s current status.
- New York is fifth in the majors with a .290 (53-183) batting average with runners in scoring position. The club has eight home runs in such situations, tied for the second-most in the majors. Over the last six games, the Mets are hitting .211 (8-38) with RISP.
- Outfielder Juan Pierre is a .324 career hitter with 74 runs scored against the Mets. His 150 hits against New York are the second-most among active players, trailing only Philadelphia’s Jimmy Rollins (244).
- Matt Harvey takes the mound in the 7:10 p.m. series opener in Miami against rookie right-hander Jose Fernandez. Harvey is bidding to become the third Mets pitcher to go 5-0 in April, joining Pedro Martinez (2006) and Dwight Gooden (1988).
Game Preview
The Mets try to put last week way, way behind them as they travel south for a road trip to Miami. In the Mets last home stand the Mets started off on a good note take 2 of 3 from the Nationals and then dropping 5 of 6 to the Dodgers and the Phillies. Currently, the Mets are hoping to snap a 4 game losing streak. Luckily, it is Harvey day today as he takes on Jose Fernandez in another stellar young pitcher match up.
Harvey is coming off of his worst start of the season where he still was quality allowing 3 ER over 6 innings and the Mets still ended up winning the game thanks to a walk off grand slam from Valdespin. It also was the also the last time the Mets won a game. On the season, Harvey is 4-0 over 5 starts and 35.0 innings with a 1.54 ERA while he walked 10 BB with 39 strikeouts. This will be Harvey’s first start against the Marlins and the only Marlins who have faced Harvey are Pierre (2-6) and Polanco (0-1). The Mets booth added yesterday that Harvey’s most difficult task tonight will be Stanton (not a surprise) but Stanton has slider power, so if Harvey powers him with fastballs, he should be fine.
The Mets will be meeting Jose Fernandez for the second time this season. Fernandez is 0-2 this season with a 4.50 ERA over 4 games and 20.0 innings. In that stretch he walked 8 batters and struck out 19 batters. In his debut against the Mets he allowed 1 ER over 5.0 innings. In his first two starts he allowed only 1 ER over 11.0 IP. In his last two starts he has allowed 9 ER. The Mets have the following numbers against Fernandez:
Cowgill 0-3
Baxter 0-2
Davis 0-1
Duda 0-2
Murphy 1-2
Recker 1-2, 2B
Tejada 1-2
Lets go Mets!
