Cincinnati @ New York preview
Citi Field
Last Meeting ( Apr 4, 2014 ) Cincinnati 3, NY Mets 4
New York Mets manager Terry Collins promised to give Lucas Duda “an extended look” at first base and the slugger carried them to their first win. The Mets look to build off that success on Saturday when they continue their three-game home series against the Cincinnati Reds. Duda, Ike Davis and Josh Satin went a combined 0-for-10 at first base as the team dropped its first three games, but Duda’s two two-run homers in Friday’s 4-3 victory likely bought him some time to keep the job long-term.
The Mets’ beleaguered bullpen, which compiled a 10.61 ERA en route to getting swept by Washington earlier in the week, made things interesting again on Friday when John Lannan gave up a two-run homer to Jay Bruce, but Kyle Farnsworth and Jose Valverde kept the Reds scoreless over the final 2 1/3 innings. Although Cincinnati has dropped two straight, Bruce is 4-for-9 with two home runs and five RBIs over that span following a slow start. Despite their setback in the opener, the Reds have won seven of their last nine road games in this series.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Ohio (Cincinnati), SNY (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Johnny Cueto (0-1, 1.29 ERA) vs. Mets RH Dillon Gee (0-1, 5.40)
Cueto got off to a rough start in his first start, taking a comebacker off the left wrist in the first inning, but appeared no worse for wear despite taking a hard-luck loss on Monday against St. Louis. The 28-year-old Dominican yielded only one run – on a homer from Yadier Molina – and three hits while striking out eight over seven innings. Cueto, who was limited to 11 starts last season due to injury, is 2-0 with a 2.37 ERA in his last three outings against the Mets.
Gee retired 15 straight batters at one point in his first-ever Opening Day start, but settled for a no-decision after getting charged with four runs and four hits over 6 2/3 innings in Monday’s 9-7 setback against Washington. ““He pitched well, but it was quite obvious he was running out of gas (in the seventh inning),” Collins told the New York Daily News on Monday. Gee took the loss in his only other career turn against the Reds in 2012 after giving up four runs (three earned) over six frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. Bruce’s home run off Lannan was his 45th against a left-handed pitcher since 2010 – the most by any major-league hitter in that span.
2. Duda, who batted .178 with two homers in 129 at-bats with runners on last season, matched his home run total in such situations in his first two official at-bats on Friday.
3. Cincinnati 2B Brandon Phillips has hit safely in each of his last 27 road games against the Mets.
PREDICTION: Reds 5, Mets 2