Philadelphia @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 27, 2013 ) Philadelphia 0, NY Mets 5

The New York Mets struggle to score runs as it is, but Tuesday's trade of Marlon Byrd and John Buck has stripped the team of what little power was left. Byrd, Buck and injured captain David Wright have accounted for 52 of the Mets' 112 home runs, and it was a telling sign that starting pitcher Jon Niese drove in three runs in a 5-0 shutout of the visiting Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday. It snapped a five-game losing streak during which New York produced only six runs.

The Phillies, who lost for the third time in their last 10 games, also are dealing with shortcomings in the home run department. Domonic Brown, who has swatted 27 homers and also leads the team in RBIs (80) and batting average (.275), was not in the starting lineup for the third straight game due to a sore Achilles. Philadelphia has managed only two runs over the first two contests of the four-game set, which continues Wednesday, and was shut out for the 13th time.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, CSN (Philadelphia), SNY (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies LH Cole Hamels (5-13, 3.62 ERA) vs. Mets RH Daisuke Matsuzaka (0-1, 9.00)

Matsuzaka had a shaky season debut against Detroit on Friday, serving up two homers and getting pelted for five runs on six hits over five innings. In the glass-half-full department, the Japanese veteran wrapped up his outing by retiring the final 10 batters he faced. Matsuzaka has made two career starts against the Phillies, logging a 1-0 record and 3.00 ERA.

Hamels has won only once in his last five starts but has managed to stop the losses, piling up four no-decisions while allowing eight runs in that span. He gave up three runs on six hits versus Arizona last time out while pitching at least seven innings for the sixth consecutive outing. Hamels has lost two of three meetings with the Mets this season, dropping his career record against them to 6-12 with a 4.38 ERA in 24 starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Hamels has allowed three runs or fewer in nine of his last 10 starts.

2. Matsuzaka won 18 games for Boston in 2008 but notched only 17 victories with the Red Sox over the following four seasons.

3. Mets CF Juan Lagares if 4-for-7 with a pair of doubles against Hamels this season.

PREDICTION: Phillies 5, Mets 2