New York @ New York preview
Citi Field
Last Meeting ( May 21, 2010 ) NY Yankees 2, NY Mets 1
The New York Yankees and Mets didn’t muster much offense Friday night in the first Big Apple showdown of the season.
Runs might be even more difficult to come by on Saturday.
Both teams send five-game winners to the mound in the second game of the Subway Series at Citi Field. The Yankees won Friday’s opener, 2-1, on a two-run double by rookie Kevin Russo, who had his first two major-league hits in the victory.
The teams combined for just 12 hits in the opener, with both teams’ starters tossing six shutout innings apiece. It was a far cry from their previous four meetings – at least for the Yankees, who had outscored the Mets, 33-3, over that span.
But it was still a victory, and a valuable one at that. Combined with the Tampa Bay Rays' 2-1 loss against the Houston Astros, the Yankees (26-16) moved back to within four games in the AL East. New York came to Citi Field fresh off being swept by Tampa Bay in a two-game series.
The Yankees send potential future ace Phil Hughes (5-0) to the mound as they look for their sixth consecutive win over their Big Apple breathren. Hughes comes in with a tidy 2.25 ERA, though he was roughed up in his previous start - allowing five runs in five innings of an 11-9 win over the Boston Red Sox.
Hughes has never started against the Mets, but they should be wary nonetheless. The hefty right-hander has been a buzzsaw on the road this season, going 3-0 with a 1.33 ERA. Opposing teams are hitting just .163 against him away from the cozy confines of Yankee Stadium.
Hughes may not need to be at his best against the Mets (20-23), who continue their freefall down the NL East ladder. Friday’s defeat was their eighth in the past 10 games, keeping them in the division basement for at least one more day.
The home side counters with righty Mike Pelfrey (5-1), who appears to be back on track after a dismal stretch earlier in the month. The 26-year-old had a 0.69 ERA in April and won his first four starts, then was held winless over his next three, allowing 13 runs in 17 innings.
He bounced back nicely five days ago, spinning 7 2/3 innings of two-run ball in a 3-2 victory over Atlanta.
Offense continues to be the problem for the Mets, who came into the weekend with a .246 team batting average that dropped even further after Friday’s four-hit effort.
The major issue to date? Their biggest stars continue to play like scrubs past the season’s quarter-pole.
Big-money free-agent acquisition Jason Bay leads the team with a .280 average, but has just one homer in 43 games this season.
All-Star third baseman David Wright is batting 45 points below his career mark, and is among the league leaders with 57 strikeouts.
Leadoff hitter Jose Reyes, 18 months removed from a 16-homer, 56-steal campaign, is batting .211 and has drawn just nine walks in 162 at-bats.