Marlins Host Mets
In February, the New York Mets acquired two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana with the hopes could lead their starting rotation. Lately, Mike Pelfrey has pitched more like the staff ace.
Pelfrey looks to win his eighth straight decision and defeat the last team to beat him on Wednesday when the NL East-leading Mets wrap up their three-game series against the third-place Florida Marlins.
Oddsmakers from SBG Global have made New York -126 money line favorites (MLB Odds) for tonight’s game, the over/under has been set at 9 total runs (Matchup). Current public betting information shows that 67% of bets for this game have been placed on New York -126 (View MLB Bet Percentages).
New York (58-49) defeated the Marlins 4-1 on Tuesday to remain a half-game ahead of second-place Philadelphia. Florida (56-51), meanwhile, dropped two games off the division pace.
The Mets and Marlins still play each other 10 more times, and Florida is trying to get on a hot streak like New York. The Mets were 5 1/2 games out of first on July 4, but have since gone a major league-best 16-5.
"We have a long way to go,” said Scott Olsen, who took the loss for the Marlins Tuesday. "We have a lot of games against each other.”
Santana has pitched well in his first season with New York, but the Mets have won only three of his last 10 starts. They’ve had much better success behind Pelfrey (9-6, 3.67 ERA).
New York has won Pelfrey’s last nine starts, with the right-hander posting a 2.67 ERA in that span. He allowed one run and seven hits in seven innings of a 7-2 win over St. Louis on Friday, the fourth time in five starts he gave up one run or less.
"The biggest thing is confidence. I’m out on the mound and I don’t feel like I have to be perfect,” said Pelfrey, who has walked one batter in 29 innings over his last four starts. "I believe in myself that I’m going to win.”
Before this run, Pelfrey had a 6.47 ERA in losing six straight starts from April 25-May 26. That last loss came against the Marlins, as he yielded six runs and six hits in four innings of a 7-3 defeat.
While Pelfrey is leading the pitching staff, David Wright and Carlos Delgado have been sparking the team’s offense.
Wright drove in his 83rd run Tuesday, and also scored in his 13th consecutive game, breaking Carlos Beltran’s team record set in 2006.
Delgado hit his 23rd homer in Tuesday’s win, and his major league-leading 15th since June 15. He is batting .378 (17-for-45) with six home runs and 17 RBIs in 12 games since the All-Star break.
Florida managed only six hits Tuesday after pounding out 14 in Monday’s 7-3 series-opening win.
All-Stars Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla were a combined 1-for-8 on Tuesday, as their struggles against New York continued. Ramirez is 7-for-29 (.241) with no homers, two runs and 13 strikeouts in eight games versus the Mets this season, while Uggla is 6-for-33 (.182) with a homer, four RBIs and 13 strikeouts in those games.
Josh Johnson (0-0, 3.71) once again seeks his first win of the year when he makes his fourth start.
On Friday, the right-hander gave up two runs and seven hits and matched a career high with eight strikeouts in 5 1-3 innings of Florida’s 3-2 victory. The Marlins have won each of his first three starts.
Johnson missed the first three months of this season after undergoing Tommy John surgery on Aug. 3. He made only four starts last year after beginning the 2007 season on the disabled list, missing almost three months because of nerve irritation in his arm.
His arm problems began against the Mets on Sept. 12, 2006. Johnson gave up three hits in five scoreless innings before leaving with forearm stiffness. That was his final start of 2006.
In three career starts versus New York, Johnson is 2-0, giving up seven hits and three runs – none earned – over 17 innings.
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