Pittsburgh @ New York preview
Citi Field
Last Meeting ( May 11, 2013 ) Pittsburgh 11, NY Mets 2
The Pittsburgh Pirates dropped the first eight games they ever played at Citi Field, but they have felt right at home over their last two contests at the venue. The Pirates will try to win their first series against the New York Mets since 2009 when the teams wrap up their four-game set Sunday. Pittsburgh is 5-5 over its last 10 games at Citi Field, scoring 18 runs combined in wins on Friday and Saturday, but will be up against Mets ace Matt Harvey on Sunday.
New York’s recent ineptitude on offense – particularly at home – continued in Saturday’s 11-2 setback. The Mets have tallied a total of 30 runs over their last 12 games at Citi Field, scoring no more than three runs in any of their last six contests at home. However, New York may not require much offense in Sunday’s series finale as Harvey has allowed one run or less in six of his eight career outings at Citi Field.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), SNY (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Jeanmar Gomez (2-0, 2.38 ERA) vs. Mets RH Matt Harvey (4-0, 1.28)
Gomez earned a repeat start with five scoreless innings Tuesday, earning the victory in a 4-1 win over Seattle. The 25-year-old Venezuelan, who is holding batters to a .222 average after being hit at a .291 clip over his first three seasons with the Cleveland Indians, permitted two hits and walked two in his second turn after replacing the recently released Jonathan Sanchez in the rotation. Gomez will make his first career appearance against New York, but is 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA in two starts with Pittsburgh.
Harvey has been the lone bright spot in the Mets’ rotation and accentuated his incredible start to the season with a near-perfect game in Tuesday’s 1-0, 10-inning victory over the Chicago White Sox. The 24-year-old allowed one hit and did not walk a batter, striking out a career-high 12 over nine innings. However, he became the first player since 1900 to hit each of those benchmarks without recording a decision. Harvey has never faced Pittsburgh, but is holding opponents to a .121 batting average in eight career home starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Harvey is the first pitcher in the last 100 years with at least 125 strikeouts and 25 or fewer earned runs allowed over his first 17 career starts.
2. Pirates RF Jose Tabata, who batted .178 in April, recorded his third career four-hit game Saturday to lift his May batting average to .563.
3. Harvey, who owns as many wins as the rest of the Mets’ rotation combined, is the only New York starter with an ERA lower than 4.63.
PREDICTION: Mets 2, Pirates 1