The Mets head to Ohio looking for two wins in a row!
The Pirates got a 6-0 lead yesterday in the first inning. The inning was bizarre with a fair dribbler being swiped off the line by Walker, allowing 3 runs to score. It was just a hair fair and Luis Rojas got tossed for arguing the call. The rest of the game was a reverse of the game from the Sunday before the All-Star break – an exorcism of a terrible day if you will. The Mets clawed back scoring a run, then getting three from Blankenhorn’s first career homer. Michael Conforto had his biggest hit of the year with a two-run, go-ahead homer in the ninth inning, finally giving the Mets the lead. What. A. Day.
So the Mets maintain their two game lead in the division as Jerad Eickhoff returns to pitch for the Mets. In three games and two starts this year, Eickhoff has pitched 12.2 innings with a 4.97 ERA, 9.33 FIP, 1.658 WHIP and an 80 ERA+. If you watched any Eickhoff starts you know the main concern – hitters are making hard contact. Hard contact is a way to eventually get into trouble. The Reds have the following numbers against Eickhoff:
- Tyler Naquin 2-3, 3B, K
- Joey Votto 1-4, HR, BB
- Tucker Barnhart 1-4, 2B
- Euegnio Suarez 1-6, 2 K
The Mets bats will get a look at rookie Vladimir Gutierrez tonight, who is making his 10th career start. In his first 9 starts and 50.1 innings he has a 4.29 ERA, 5.30 FIP, 1.351 WHIP and a 109 ERA+. He’s had a good July, allowing 3 ER over 12.0 innings from 10 hits and 4 walks. Before this stretch he allowed 14 runs over 15.1 innings (3 starts). This will be his first start against the Mets and it will be the first time anyone on the Mets have seen Vladimir in a major league game.
Let’s Go Mets!
