New York @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 6, 2014 ) Cincinnati 2, NY Mets 1

After a porous road trip did little to change their fortune, the Cincinnati Reds look to apply the brakes when they begin a seven-game homestand with the opener of a three-game series against the New York Mets on Friday. The Reds yielded 20 runs en route to getting swept by Baltimore and have dropped 16 of their last 22 to reside even with New York at seven games out in the race for the second wild card in the National League. Devin Mesoraco, who is 10-for-21 with five runs scored in his last seven games, homered among his four hits and drove in four runs in Thursday's 9-7 setback.

New York won two of three from NL East-rival Miami before enjoying a day off on Thursday. Kirk Nieuwenhuis belted a two-run homer in Wednesday's 4-3 triumph as he received the start over high-priced acquisition Curtis Granderson, who has been a spectator in two of the last four outings. The Mets won two of the three meetings against the Reds when the teams met in New York in early April, although Friday starter Alfredo Simon emerged victorious in the last outing.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Bartolo Colon (12-11, 4.01 ERA) vs. Reds RH Alfredo Simon (13-9, 3.28)

Colon allowed six runs for the second time in five outings and exited after 5 1/3 innings in a 7-2 loss to Philadelphia on Saturday. The 41-year-old Dominican has permitted four homers in that stretch after yielding 14 in his previous 21 outings this season. Colon has fared well versus Cincinnati - save for his last outing in 2013, when he fell to 3-1 in his career against the club after allowing five runs in 2 2/3 innings to take the loss.

Simon suffered his sixth loss in seven decisions after permitting three runs on four hits in seven innings during a 3-2 setback at Pittsburgh on Saturday. The 33-year-old Dominican would like to revert back to his early-season dominance and channel his sterling effort versus the Mets on April 6. Simon yielded one run on four hits in seven innings en route to a 2-1 triumph that day.

WALK-OFFS

1. New York C Travis d'Arnaud went 6-for-12 in his last three games, but is 0-for-4 versus Simon and 1-for-12 in four career outings versus Cincinnati.

2. Reds RHP Homer Bailey is expected to have surgery to repair a tear in the flexor mass tendon near his right forearm on Friday.

3. Mets 3B David Wright had four strikeouts on Wednesday and has fanned 12 times in his last seven outings.

PREDICTION: Mets 4, Reds 3