Barring some more umpiring hijinks, we should be in for a treat tonight as a two good young hurlers take the hill for the middle game of a three-game set in St. Louis. First pitch is scheduled for 8:15 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.
Matt Harvey makes his eighth start of the season, facing perhaps the toughest lineup he has encountered yet. The lineup Harvey will face has six hitters batting over .300 on the season and a seventh — David Freese — who is just two points shy of the mark. However, the rookie won’t see former Met Carlos Beltran or Lance Berkman, as both men are out of the lineup for the second straight game.
The Cardinals counter with third-year man Jaime Garcia on the hill. Garcia is looking to calm a bit of a second half swoon. The lefthander will face a righty-heavy Mets lineup that includes Jason Bay’s return to the lineup. Only Daniel Murphy will bat lefthanded for the Mets against Garcia and he’ll do so as the first baseman, in place of Ike Davis. Ronny Cedeno takes care of Murphy’s usual position, second base.
Mets Lineup:
Tejada – Cedeno – Wright – Hairston – Murphy – Shoppach – Bay – Torres – Harvey
Cardinals Lineup:
Jay – Carpenter – Holliday – Craig – Molina – Freese – Schumaker – Descalso – Garcia
Pitching Matchup:
NYM: Matt Harvey (3-3, 2.76 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 49 K) – In the veteran Cardinals, Harvey faces perhaps his toughest test thus far as a major leaguer. The rookie righty was great again in his last start against the Phillies, scattering six hits with two walks over 6.1 innings. He did so without the benefit of his best stuff, but was as hot on the radar gun as we’ve seen him this season and did well enough to push the Mets to a win.
But the Cardinals are a different animal than the Phillies. St. Louis packs a lineup with very few holes in it and is also a team that has no problem waiting for their pitch to strike. Harvey will need to have pinpoint control to be effective. Fortunately, Harvey already has plenty of experience against perspective playoff contenders and has allowed just five earned runs in 19.1 innings combined against the Giants, Braves and Reds. In those games he’s allowed a combined 10 hits while striking out eight and walking nine.
PHI: Jaime Garcia (3-6, 4.52 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 68 K) – Garcia makes his fourth career start against the Mets tonight and hasn’t had a bad one yet. In 20.2 innings, Garcia has surrendered just three earned to the Mets while whiffing 14 and walking five. Mets hitters have hit just .183 against him and only earned five walks in those three games. Members of tonight’s lineup are a combined 8-for-26 against Garcia and Cedeno possesses the best individual numbers at 2-of-6.
But the current version of Garcia is unlike the Mets have seen before. Over his last three starts since returning from a shoulder injury, the lefthander has been all over the place. In his return on August 19th, Garcia pitched eight shutout innings and struck out 10 Pirates. His next effort against the Reds saw him surrender four earned in six innings and in his most recent effort the Nationals battered Garcia for six runs on nine hits in 5.1 innings. Which Garcia the Mets will see is anyone’s guess.
Stache Keys to the Game:
The Harv – Whenever he takes the hill for the rest of the season (perhaps just one more time after tonight) Matt Harvey is the show and he’s one worth watching.
Shop Spree – Kelly Shoppach makes his third consecutive start at catcher tonight looking to deliver more of that clutch thunder the Mets have long been seeking from the catcher position. In addition, having Shoppach, who helped the Rays develop some of their top flight starters, work with Harvey is a great bonus.
Pen Is Mightier – During the current road trip, members of the Mets bullpen have allowed just two earned runs over 22.1 innings. Believe in small miracles.
This Date in Mets History:
Happy 44th birthday to former Mets catcher Mike Piazza!
Speaking of great Mets catchers, on this date in 1985, Gary Carter hit two home runs to give him five over a two-game span against the Padres. The Mets won the game 9-2 to complete a three-game sweep of the padres in the midst of a five-game winning streak.
