New York @ Baltimore preview
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Last Meeting ( Jun 12, 2010 ) NY Mets 3, Baltimore 1
The New York Mets suddenly seem to have a juggernaut of a starting rotation, and now they turn to the man who has been their most consistent starter to keep their hot streak going.
The Mets send 26-year-old right-hander Mike Pelfrey to the mound this afternoon against the Baltimore Orioles as they look for their first three-game sweep on the road since Sept. 1-3, 2008, at Milwaukee.
Pelfrey (8-1, 2.23 ERA) has a tough act to follow. Actually, he has three tough acts to follow.
Jonathon Niese threw a one-hitter Thursday against San Diego, and R.A. Dickey and Hisanori Takahashi each limited Baltimore to one run over seven innings to begin this series. Over the past three games, Mets starters have allowed a total of two runs over 23 innings.
If any Mets starter seems poised to live up to that high standard, it's Pelfrey, who has allowed two or fewer runs in nine of his 12 starts.
After a couple of rough outings in early May, Pelfrey has regained the dominant form he displayed to start the season. Over his last five starts, he is 4-0 with a 1.19 ERA and has struck out 27 while walking 11.
Pelfrey's counterpart today has been headed in the opposite direction.
Orioles starter Kevin Millwood (0-7, 4.64 ERA) has lost his last three starts and he has been knocked around in the process. Over that span, he has an 8.31 ERA in 17 1/3 innings and has surrendered six home runs.
Millwood is 8-5 with a 3.36 ERA in 23 appearances against the Mets - 20 of them starts - but he has faced New York only once since 2004. Shortstop Jose Reyes, who led off Saturday's game with his third homer of the season, is the only Mets player who has had much success against Millwood. Reyes is 6-for-14 against the veteran right-hander.
The Orioles have scored three runs or fewer in nine of Millwood's 13 starts, and if their recent offensive struggles are any indication, they might not give him much more support today.
Baltimore has hit .227 and averaged 2.2 runs over its past 16 games, and the Orioles are 2-14 in that span. The Orioles have lost four of five and at 17-45 have six fewer victories than any other team in the majors.
The Mets, meanwhile, have won 14 of 19 since May 22. They've won seven of their last eight to surge past Philadelphia into second place in the NL East, and this visit to Camden Yards has done wonders for their road woes.
New York has won consecutive road games for the first time since last July 25-26 at Houston, and the Mets have clinched their first series win away from Citi Field since taking two of three at Florida from Sept. 25-27 last year.