NL East Showdown
The New York Mets increased their lead atop the NL East without playing a game.
The Mets now look to continue to move past last year’s stunning collapse on Friday night, when they open a three-game set against fading the Florida Marlins.
Oddsmakers from SBG Global have made New York -125 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 87% of bets for this game have been placed on New York -125 (View MLB Bet Percentages).
The first-place Mets (74-60) didn’t play Wednesday, but got some help from NL Central-leading Chicago on Thursday, as the Cubs beat Philadelphia 6-4 in the opener of their four-game series. That victory moved New York a full game ahead of the second-place Phillies, who are five in front of the Marlins (68-66).
The Mets regained the top spot in the division with Wednesday’s 6-3 win at Philadelphia. The victory came a night after New York wasted a seven-run lead en route to an 8-7, 13-inning loss to the Phillies, resurrecting memories of last season’s epic collapse. The Mets squandered a seven-game lead with 17 games to play, handing the East title to the Phillies and missing the playoffs on the final day of the season.
"We’re fighting some demons, the demons of the past, the rascals that have hung around us for a year," Mets manager Jerry Manuel said. "Every time we lose a game like (Tuesday) is a reminder of that."
Carlos Delgado, who is 6-for-13 with four homers and nine RBIs in the last three games, also appears to be looking towards helping the Mets move past last year’s disappointment.
"Whatever happened last year, it happened," Delgado told the team’s official Web site. "We put it behind us. I think we are definitely in a different frame of mind. We are not thinking about September ’07. We are thinking about, ‘Let’s go out and play baseball right now.’"
The first baseman, though, has struggled in 11 matchups against Florida, batting .184 (7-for-38) with three homers and seven RBIs.
The Mets, who hold a 7-5 advantage on the Marlins in the season series, will now turn to Oliver Perez (9-7, 4.00 ERA) in place of John Maine, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list Monday due to a bone spur in his right shoulder.
Perez has been reliable over the last seven starts, going 3-1 with a 3.13 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 46 innings while appearing to overcome the control problems that have plagued his seven-year career.
In the left-hander’s last time out Sunday, he allowed four runs and four hits with eight strikeouts in 6 1-3 innings of a 6-4, 10-inning loss to Houston.
Perez is 3-0 with a 2.16 ERA in four starts against the Marlins this season.
The Marlins were as close as 1 1/2 games from the division lead on Aug. 13, but they’re 5-8 since. They lost again Thursday, falling 4-2 at Atlanta.
"Now we have to play the Mets head to head. They’re must wins," said Marlins left fielder Luis Gonzalez, who is 10-for-26 (.385) with two homers and five RBIs in his last eight games against New York. "It’s no secret. We’re running out of time. There’s no margin for error."
Florida hopes rookie Chris Volstad (4-3, 3.42), one of its top pitching prospects, can win for the first time in three starts.
The 21-year-old right-hander, who is getting his first career start against New York, is 0-1 with a 4.76 ERA in his last two outings after winning his previous two with a 2.45 ERA.
Volstad didn’t fare well Saturday, getting reached for four runs and seven hits in 5 1-3 innings of a 7-1 loss at Arizona.
Did you like this article? Subscribe to our Baseball news feed for the fastest updates delivered right to you – Click here to Subscribe