MMO Game Thread: Pirates vs Mets, 7:10 PM

Thursday, June 16, 2016 • 7:10 p.m.
Citi Field • Flushing, N.Y.
RHP Juan Nicasio (5-5, 5.34) vs. RHP Bartolo Colon (5-3, 3.08)
SNY • WOR 710 AM • ESPN 1050 AM

The Mets and Pirates play the rubber game of their series tonight at Citi. After dropping the opener 4-0 with very little offense, the Mets exploded last night, knocking the ball around for 19 hits and 11 runs including homers from Wilmer Flores and Kelly Johnson. Not to be outdone, Noah Syndergaard pitched 8.1 electric innings.

The Mets are 2-3 in their last five games against the Pirates, but 2-10 in their last 12 games vs. Pittsburgh… The Mets went 0-6 vs. Pittsburgh in 2015.

Mets Lineup

Curtis Granderson – RF
Asdrubal Cabrera – SS
Yoenis Cespedes – CF
Neil Walker – 2B
Michael Conforto – LF
Wilmer Flores – 3B
James Loney – 1B
Rene Rivera – C
Bartolo Colon – RHP

Pirates Lineup

Josh Harrison, 2B
Gregory Polanco, RF
Andrew McCutchen, CF
Jung Ho Kang, 3B
David Freese, 1B
Matt Joyce, LF
Jordy Mercer, SS
Erik Kratz, C
Juan Nicasio, RHP

Bartolo Colon will look to keep it going. He’s 5-3 over 13 games and 12 starts with 73.0 innings of work and a 3.08 ERA. In his last four starts he’s 2-0 over 25.0 innings with a 1.80 ERA. Bart missed the Pirates earlier this season but last year he held the Bucs to 1 ER over 7.0 innings allowing only 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 7. The Pirates have the following numbers on Big Sexy:

Stewart 6-17, HR
Jaso 2-11, 2B
Joyce 1-11
McCutchen 3-9
Marte 1-10
Rodriguez 3-9
Harrison 2-7

The Mets bats will get another look at Juan Nicasio who is 5-5 over 12 games and 11 starts and 59.0 innings this year with a 5.34 ERA. He was having a rough go of it in May and his first start in June going 26.0 innings in 5 starts with a 6.23 ERA. Then he held the Mets to 3 hits over 5.0 innings and one run while striking out 7. That start was followed by a relief outing where he allowed 6 ER in one inning against the Cardinals. The Mets have the following numbers against Juan: