New York @ Cleveland preview
Progressive Field
Last Meeting ( Jun 15, 2010 ) NY Mets 7, Cleveland 6
In just under a month, the New York Mets are poised to make the improbable leap from last place to first in the National League East.
The Mets begin Wednesday’s game at Cleveland a half-game behind Atlanta in the division. It’s been quite a climb since mid-May, when the Mets were seven games out of first. They have since won five straight and 16 of 21.
David Wright is a big reason why. He had three hits and three RBIs in Tuesday’s victory and is now batting .363 with four homers and 20 RBIs during the Mets’ 21-game surge. He has produced three hits in three of New York’s last four games and doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon.
Mets starter Jonathon Niese is coming off his first career complete game, a one-hitter in a 3-0 victory over San Diego last week. The 23-year-old Niese, an Ohio native, has been a different pitcher since returning from the disabled list on June 4.
In three May starts prior to landing on the DL with a strained right hamstring, Niese was 0-1 with an 8.76 ERA. He has won both starts since returning, allowing one run, seven hits, a walk and 12 strikeouts in 16 innings.
His success illustrates a trend for the Mets, whose starting staff has a combined ERA of 2.65 during the 16-5 run.
The Indians, meanwhile, continue to wallow in last place in the American League Central, two games behind the Kansas City Royals. While it may not matter for this season, the Indians are beginning to show signs of life offensively. They scored four runs off Mets ace Johan Santana on Tuesday, thanks in part to a homer from Travis Hafner.
Injuries and ineffectiveness have left Hafner a shell of his former self. Hafner averaged 32 homers and 108 RBIs from 2004-07, but those numbers have plummeted to a total of 29 homers and 99 RBIs in the last two-plus seasons.
He is beginning to show signs of his old self, though, clubbing homers in four of the last six games. A return to form for Hafner, who will earn $26 million over the next two seasons, is paramount to the Indians’ future success given their limited financial flexibility.
Shelly Duncan hit a two-run homer in the ninth off Francisco Rodriguez on Tuesday night before the Mets closer finished up for his 14th save in the 7-6 win.