The Mets will have to hold off impending storms if they hope to get the chance to sweep the Brewers in their brief two-game set. First pitch is still scheduled for 7:10 p.m. and the game can be seen on SNY or heard, as always, on WFAN 660AM. Join the conversation on Twitter by following @dailystache or yours truly, @DevOnSports.
The rains came late in Monday’s 3-1 win over the Brewers and haven’t stopped much since, but even they couldn’t put a damper on a solid outing by Miguel Batista, who gave the Mets a much needed boost from the mound. Dillon Gee takes the hill tonight looking to duplicate that success against a Brewers lineup that features the return of second baseman Rickie Weeks. Injuries have mounted for Milwaukee this year, forcing the Brewers to piece together different lineups on a daily basis, but their 2-through-5 of Weeks, Ryan Braun, Aramis Ramirez and Corey Hart remains formidable.
Milwaukee sends ace Zack Greinke to the mound to oppose Gee. It will be the 28-year-old righthander’s second career start against the Mets and first since 2004. The Mets counter with the same lineup that they sent out to face Yovani Gallardo last night, because why fix what isn’t broken?
Mets Lineup:
Torres - Nieuwenhuis - Wright - Duda - Murphy - Davis - Cedeno - Nickeas - Gee
Stache Fact: Kirk Nieuwenhuis is hitting .354 against righthanded pitchers this season and 29 of his 35 hits have come against righties.
Brewers Lineup:
Aoki-Weeks-Braun-Ramirez-Hart-LuCroy-Ishikawa-Izturis-Greinke
Stache Fact: Brewers All-Star second baseman Rickie Weeks is off to a terrible start. Weeks is hitting just .157 with a .289 slugging percentage and has struck out 41 times. He will make a pitcher work though, and his 23 walks are the only thing keeping his on-base percentage above .300.
Pitching Matchup:
NYM: Dillon Gee (2-2, 4.78 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 33 K) – Gee and that thing on his face will be looking to build on his last start, when, despite giving up 10 hits and four earned runs, Gee was good enough to keep the Mets in the game against Philly. Best of all, he didn’t walk a batter for the first time this season.
Gee has just one career start against the Brewers, coming in his first year in the majors. He allowed four runs, two earned, on seven hits over six innings to pick up the loss in a 9-2 Brewers win on September 30, 2010. No player in tonight’s lineup has faced Gee more than four times or has more than one hit against him.
MIL: Zack Greinke (3-1, 3.35 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 46 K) – Greinke has been mostly great this year — one bad start against the Cubs not withstanding. He’s allowed two runs or fewer in five of his seven starts and strikes out a ton of hitters. Greinke is coming off by far his best start of the year, as he shut down the Reds over eight shutout innings last Wednesday, allowing just two hits while striking out 11. He last pitched against the Mets in his rookie year of 2004 with the Royals. Since no members of that team remain, the only member of today’s Mets lineup who has faced him is Ronny Cedeno, who is 3-for-10 lifetime vs. Greinke
Stache Keys to the Game:
- Surviving the Middle – Milwaukee’s lineup is in shambles due to injuries and the departure of Prince Fielder, so if Gee can get through the heart of the order without much issue, he can have a start similar to Batista’s last night.
- Keep Walking – The Mets’ collective approach at the plate has been something to behold. With six more walks in last night’s win (against three hits) the Mets now have 129 for the season, tied for sixth in MLB.
- Fear The Reaper – The Mets’ bullpen has been their undoing. Without the collective misgivings of the relief corps, we could be talking about a first place team. Gee needs to go deep and the offense needs to pile on so we don’t have to reach for the Rolaids in the ninth.
This Date in Mets History:
On this date in 1970, Tom Seaver twirled one of his infamous one-hitters. A 15-strikeout performance in a 4-0 victory over the Phillies, Seaver’s one-hitter marked the second consecutive one-hitter for the Mets, who also saw Gary Gentry one-hit the Cubs on May 13, 1970, with an off day in between. The Mets have 35 one-hitters in franchise history but still no no-no’s.
