The Mets try to avoid the sweep this afternoon after dropping two games by the same score, 5-3 against the Braves. The Mets in this series have gotten their runs when Atlanta’s starters were off for an inning. Yesterday it was in the 7th. The Mets (and the Marlins too) have struggled against Atlanta’s bullpen who have been perfect on this young season. Today the Mets will try to flip the script and return to a .500 record before the home opener as Bartolo Colon starts opposite of Alex Wood.
Colon was pretty good during the season opener. But also surprisingly good. He allowed one earned run and three hits over 6 innings against the Nationals while striking out 8. I didn’t realize he struck out 8 batters until after I got home from the game. Colon was just good Colon. Changing the speeds on his fastball to make it look like different pitches, working at his own pace, not letting the speed of Scherzer and how he was slicing the Mets lineup at the time get into his head. Anyway, Colon was 1-2 in three starts against the Braves last year pitching 22.0 innings with a 2.45 ERA and 18 strikeouts. The Braves have the following numbers against Colon:
- Pierzynski 11-47, 2 2B, 2 HR
- Callaspo 7-29, 3 2B, HR
- Markakis 8-29, 4 2B
- Gomes 7-18, 2B, 3B, 2 HR
- K Johnson 2-12, 3B, 5 K
- Freeman 6-10, 3 2B
- Simmons 4-10
- C Johnson 1-6
The Mets bats will face off against Alex Wood who pitched 5 innings allowing 4 hits, 3 walks and 2 earned runs while striking out 4 in his 2015 season debut earlier in the week. Last year he was 11-11 over 35 games, 24 starts and 171.2 innings with a 2.78 ERA. He made two starts against the Mets last year where he allowed 11 hits over 13.0 innings (6 ER) and posted an ERA of 4.15. He also struck out 13 Mets in that stretch. The Mets have the following numbers against Wood:
- Lagares 3-11, 2B, HR
- Murphy 5-11
- Mayberry 3-10, 2B, HR
- Duda 0-6
- Flores 1-5
- Granderson 1-4, HR
- Tejada 2-6
- d’Arnaud 3-5, 2 2B
- Wright 1-4
- Cuddyer 2-3
Lets Go Mets!
