LETS GO MAINE!! Biggest game of the year, gotta stop the losing streak!!
Thursday, July 5 Purchase Tickets Minute Maid Park | 8:05 PM ET
NYM John Maine, RHP (9-4, 2.74)
Mets (46-37) @ HOU Jason Jennings, RHP (1-3, 3.69)
Astros (37-48)
Scouting Report:
Mets: Mets: Maine pitched brilliantly in pitcher-unfriendly Citizens Bank Park on Friday night. He has won his past three starts and has walked none in four of his six past outings. Maine has allowed 35 baserunners and 12 runs over his last 40 2/3 innings.
Astros: For a second straight start, Jennings pitched very well, going deep into Saturday's game with the Rockies and allowing just three runs in seven innings. For the second straight start, however, he took the loss because of a poor performance from the Houston offense. Jennings surpassed 100 pitches in both starts and looks to be fully recovered from the elbow problems that plagued him early in the season and caused him to miss seven weeks of action. He'll look to build on back-to-back quality starts and hope for increased run support against the Mets, whom he went 0-1 against last season with a 3.00 ERA.
Friday, July 6 Purchase Tickets Minute Maid Park | 8:05 PM ET
NYM Mike Pelfrey, RHP (0-6, 6.11)
Mets (46-37) @ HOU Wandy Rodriguez, LHP (5-7, 4.23)
Astros (37-48)
Scouting Report:
Mets: Pelfrey was recalled from Triple-A on Sunday to start the series finale against the Phillies after Jorge Sosa went on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring. Pelfrey gave the Mets five innings, yielding three runs (two earned) on four hits and three walks while striking out three. He ran his pitch count up to 103, continuing a trend of averaging 91 pitches and five innings over his seven starts this season, pointing to a need for a more efficient approach on the mound.
Astros: Rodriguez has been outstanding at Minute Maid Park this season, and his start Sunday against the Rockies was no exception. Rodriguez dealt seven shutout innings, striking out four and picking up his fifth win of the season. He consistently had command of all his pitches, and showed tremendous composure getting through several at-bats that went extremely deep into the count. Rodriguez faced the Mets once last season, allowing two earned runs in four innings.
Saturday, July 7 Purchase Tickets Minute Maid Park | 7:05 PM ET
NYM Tom Glavine, LHP (7-6, 4.39)
Mets (46-37) @ HOU Woody Williams, RHP (4-10, 5.47)
Astros (37-48)
Scouting Report:
Mets: Glavine experienced a rare blowout on Monday at Coors Field, a park he had largely tamed, having thrown two shutouts there. But the Rockies exploded for a six-run third inning, getting all the runs they needed when Matt Holliday turned on an inside pitch and muscled it into the left-field seats for a three-run homer. Glavine said he felt good, gutting it out for six full innings, with most of the damage coming in the sixth. He'll pitch in another hitter-friendly stadium in this one, Minute Maid Park, where he has compiled a 5.26 ERA in four career starts.
Astros: Williams has shown signs in recent weeks of turning a corner, dealing two consecutive quality starts. He was particularly effective against a powerful Phillies lineup on Monday night, lasting seven innings and allowing only three runs. The right-hander has pitched at least six innings in five of his past six outings. In two starts against the Mets last season, Williams yielded four runs over 14 innings for a 2.57 ERA.
Sunday, July 8 Purchase Tickets Minute Maid Park | 2:05 PM ET
NYM Jason Vargas, LHP (0-1, 12.19)
Mets (46-37) @ HOU Roy Oswalt, RHP (7-5, 3.52)
Astros (37-48)
Scouting Report:
Mets: Vargas struggled throughout his outing in Colorado, yielding nine runs on 11 hits, two walks (one intentional), a wild pitch, a balk and two homers in 3 1/3 innings. His second appearance of the season for the Mets was a spot start for the injured Oliver Perez, but his ineffectiveness on the mound could put another turn in the rotation in jeopardy. Vargas found too much of the plate, and the Rockies punished him consistently. He has given up four homers in 10 1/3 innings for the Mets this season, and he loaded the bases before being lifted in the fourth against the Rockies, with the next hitter going deep for a grand slam.
Astros: Oswalt hasn't been his usual dominant self for about a month-and-a-half, and his start this past Tuesday against the Phillies was no exception. The Astros ace yielded 10 hits and four runs in seven innings, and has given up eight hits or more in each of his last four starts. Oswalt went 2-0 against the Mets last season with a sparkling 2.70 ERA
