New York @ Milwaukee preview
American Family Field
Last Meeting ( May 29, 2010 ) NY Mets 6, Milwaukee 8
After a pitchers' duel and a scoring fest, who knows what will happen when the New York Mets and Milwaukee Brewers complete their three-game series today.
On Friday night, Johan Santana and Yovani Gallardo hooked up in a scoreless battle that finally ended in the bottom of the ninth on Corey Hart’s two-run homer off Ryota Igarashi.
Saturday night's game - an 8-6 Brewers' victory - was much different. All 14 runs were scored in the first four innings and starting pitchers Fernando Nieve and Manny Parra were gone after three innings.
Hart hit a grand slam in the first and a two-run homer in the third while driving in six runs.
So how the series finale will play out is anyone's guess.
The Brewers, who have struggled to beat anyone most of the season, have won three straight and four of five. The modest hot streak has occurred at Miller Park, where Milwaukee went into the weekend with the worst home record in the majors.
Left-hander Randy Wolf will try to keep the momentum rolling. Wolf has won twice in his last six starts, but the results of his last outing were encouraging. He pitched seven shutout innings against Houston in his longest outing since April 27
Wolf has pitched seven or more innings twice in 10 starts. Showing an ability to get deep into the game will be especially crucial today since Parra lasted only three innings Saturday and the Brewers used four relief pitchers. Milwaukee's relievers retired the last 13 hitters in putting the win away.
The same pressure will be on Mets knuckleballer R.A. Dickey. Nieve staggered through two innings Saturday so it will be up to Dickey to give his bullpen a break. The Mets also used four relievers Saturday.
Dickey made his second start for New York on Tuesday and stopped Philadelphia on seven hits in six shutout innings. The right-hander struck out seven and showed good control of the knuckler, walking only three. He also pitched six innings in his first start against Washington, allowing two earned runs in a no-decision.
The Mets rolled into Milwaukee with a five-game winning streak. New York's pitching shut out the Philadelphia Phillies three times in sweeping a series at Citi Field, but the Mets haven't been able to put together a complete effort against the Brewers.
Losing the first two games of the series dropped New York back to .500.