Dodgers Seek Revenge
The Los Angeles Dodgers would no doubt like to forget their last series against the New York Mets.
The two teams meet for the first time since last season’s National League division series in the opener of a three-game set Monday at Dodger Stadium.
The Mets (36-25) swept that best-of-five series, outscoring the Dodgers 19-11. New York lost in seven games to eventual World Series champion St. Louis in the NL championship series.
Oddsmakers have made New York -115 money line favorites (MLB Odds) for todays game, the over/under has been set at 7.5 total runs (Matchup). Our public betting information shows that 82% of bets for this game have been placed on New York -115 (View MLB Bet Percentages).
Catcher Paul Lo Duca hit .455 (5-for-11) with three RBIs for the Mets in the NLDS, and first baseman Carlos Delgado hit .429 (6-for-14) and drove in two runs. New York also won four of the seven regular-season games between the teams in 2006, including two of three at Dodger Stadium.
The Mets have their eyes on another playoff run this season and lead the NL East by 2 1/2 games over second-place Atlanta. However, they have dropped seven of nine, including Sunday’s 15-7 defeat in Detroit.
Starter Tom Glavine was roughed up for nine runs in just 4 1-3 innings as the Mets allowed season highs in runs and hits (21).
"I don’t think it’s time to panic, but we shouldn’t be happy," Glavine told the Mets’ official Web site. "We just got whipped. And we haven’t been winning. It’s time to start doing something about it."
Mets third baseman David Wright, who drove in four runs in the NLDS, homered for the fourth straight game Sunday, leaving him one shy of the franchise record set by Richard Hidalgo in 2004.
The Mets will get some help on Monday, as outfielder Shawn Green is expected to be activated from the disabled list. Green has been out since breaking his right foot May 25, an injury that put him on the DL for the first time in his major league career.
However, outfielder Moises Alou remains on the DL and left the team Sunday morning to fly back home for an examination on his strained left quadriceps.
The Dodgers (35-28) have also been in a rut. They lost for the fifth time in six games on Sunday, 11-5 at home to Toronto.
"It’s a little disappointing, but what we, as a ballclub, need to do is to not lose sight of the fact that we are good," manager Grady Little told his team’s site. "It’s a long season."
Los Angeles didn’t have to deal with Orlando Hernandez (3-1, 1.94 ERA), who starts the opener for the Mets, in the NLDS because the Cuban right-hander did not pitch in the postseason because of a torn muscle in his calf. He went 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA against the Dodgers last season.
Hernandez has been strong recently, allowing only two runs in 26 innings in his last four starts – the last three of which have come after a stint on the 15-day disabled list with shoulder bursitis. He threw six scoreless innings on Wednesday, but the bullpen blew his lead in New York’s 4-2 loss to Philadelphia.
Hernandez has been especially tough on the road, going 2-0 with a 1.04 ERA in four starts. Overall, opposing batters are hitting just .173 against him.
The Dodgers will counter with Randy Wolf (7-4, 4.03), who lost for the first time since April 30 his last time out, allowing five runs in five innings of Wednesday’s 5-2 defeat in San Diego.
Wolf is 8-5 with a 3.40 ERA in 24 career starts against the Mets, but lost his last two against them.
by: Dave Michaels – thespread.com – Email Us
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