New York @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 15, 2016 ) NY Mets 5, Philadelphia 3

Neil Walker and the New York Mets have made themselves at home at Citizens Bank Park this season, with the veteran belting four homers in four games to add to his team's total of 14. Walker and the homer-happy Mets look to slug their way to a series victory on Saturday when they play the second contest of the three-game set versus the host Philadelphia Phillies.

Walker launched a three-run shot in Friday's 5-3 victory to improve to 8-for-18 with six RBIs and five runs scored in the City of Brotherly Love this season. Juan Lagares also went deep for the Mets, who have 31 homers in their last 11 contests at Citizens Bank Park. While New York opened its nine-game road trip by improving to 4-3 versus its National League East rival, Philadelphia suffered just its fourth loss in 14 contests on the heels of a woeful stretch in June. Peter Bourjos continued his torrid stretch at the plate with an RBI triple on Friday to improve to 30-for-75 in his last 19 games.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, WPIX (New York), NBC-10 (Philadelphia)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Logan Verrett (3-6, 4.34 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Jerad Eickhoff (6-10, 3.80)

With injuries ripping gaping holes in the rotation, Verrett is in line to make consecutive starts for the first time since April. The 26-year-old recorded back-to-back scoreless outings at that time, scattering three hits versus Miami on April 13 before allowing six hits and striking out four in an 11-1 rout of Philadelphia six nights later. Verrett jumped out to a 3-0 mark before losing six decisions in his last 18 appearances.

Eickhoff was on the business end of a mile-high beatdown as he was blitzed for a season-high eight runs on as many hits in 5 1/3 innings of an 8-3 loss at Colorado. The 26-year-old has pitched well with unfavorable results versus New York, falling to 1-4 in his career despite limiting the club to just a .198 batting average. Eickhoff yielded three runs in five innings of a 7-2 setback to the Mets on April 8 before working seven strong frames against them in a 5-2 loss 10 nights later.

WALK-OFFS

1. Philadelphia All-Star CF Odubel Herrera is mired in a 1-for-19 slump.

2. New York SS Asdrubal Cabrera has 12 hits in nine games this month.

3. Phillies rookie 1B Tommy Joseph is 11-for-22 with three homers, six RBIs and eight runs scored in his last seven contests.

PREDICTION: Mets 4, Phillies 2