Wednesday, July 4, 2018 • 7:07 p.m.
Rogers Centre • Toronto, ON
RHP Corey Oswalt (0-1, 9.82) vs. RHP Marcus Stroman (1-5, 6.02)
SNY • WOR 710 AM • 104.3 WAXQ-FM HD 2 • ESPN 1050

Even for the standards established by the 2018 Mets – last night was a bad night up North and the Mets will try to reverse it today. Last night the Mets had a 6-1 lead off homers from Cabrera, Mesoraco and Flores plus a good start by Wheeler. Then the bullpen happened and everything fell apart. Swarzak faced four batters and could only get one out, Gsellman needed to get one out and not allow a game-tying three-run homer (which is exactly what he did), with two outs in the eighth the Mets allowed another two-run homer. It was just a bad night.

Mets Lineup

  1. Brandon Nimmo  CF
  2. Jose Bautista  RF
  3. Asdrubal Cabrera  2B
  4. Michael Conforto  LF
  5. Wilmer Flores  DH
  6. Todd Frazier  3B
  7. Dominic Smith  1B
  8. Kevin Plawecki  C
  9. Jose Reyes  SS

Blue Jays Lineup

  1. Curtis Granderson  RF
  2. Teoscar Hernandez  LF
  3. Yangervis Solarte  3B
  4. Justin Smoak  1B
  5. Kendrys Morales  DH
  6. Russell Martin  C
  7. Randal Grichuk  CF
  8. Lourdes Gurriel  2B
  9. Aledmys Diaz  SS

Tonight Corey Oswalt will make his second start of 2018 and hopefully allow the Mets to forget last night. Last time out Oswalt was given a three-hour heads-up that he was starting the game and in Miami, he allowed 6 runs over 2.2 innings. In his major league debut in April, he allowed two runs over 4.2 innings. For Las Vegas this year he has a 5.32 ERA over 10 starts, last year he had a 2.28 ERA in Binghamton over 24 starts.

The Mets bats draw Marcus Stroman who has a 6.02 ERA over nine starts and 49.1 innings with a 4.18 FIP, 1.520 WHIP and 70 ERA+. But the stats do not tell the whole story. before landing on the DL after his start on May 8th, he had a 7.71 ERA. In his two starts since coming back, he has allowed two runs, one earned, over 12 innings from 10 hits and a walk. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

  • Frazier 4-11, HR, 3 BB
  • Cabrera 2-2, 2B
  • Mesoraco 0-2

Game Notes

The pen suffered its major league-leading 22nd loss last night. New York’s bullpen is 3-14 with a 6.53 ERA (89 earned runs/122.2 innings) in their last 36 games (dating to May 25).

The Mets have hit 29 home runs in their last 23 games, including three last night and 43 homers in their last 37 games, but, 30 of those have been solo blasts. New York’s pitching staff has surrendered 27 homers in its last 12 games and 41 home runs in its last 22 contests.

Wilmer Flores has driven in 10 runs in his last nine games and has 13 RBI in his last 14 games…Flores has hit in career-high 10 straight games, going 11-38 (.289). Asdrubal Cabrera hit a team season-high 11 consecutive games
from March 31-April 13. Flores has reached base in a career-best 17 straight games with a plate appearance. Over his last 36 games, Flores is batting .292 (33-113) with nine doubles, five home runs, 21 RBI, 12 runs scored, 10 walks and a .344 OBP (dating back to May 4).

The Mets will begin an 11-game homestand on Friday to close out the first half of the year. The Rays, Phillies and
Nationals all visit Citi Field, including a doubleheader on Monday, July 9 vs. Philadelphia. The first 25,000 fans will receive a Jacob deGrom bobblehead prior to the 4:10 p.m. game on Saturday, July 7.

Let’s Go Mets!

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