Dodgers, Mets Meet In Queens
Adrian Gonzalez had a hot start to the series Tuesday as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Mets 9-4 at Citi Filed in Queens, N.Y.
Old New York meets new New York on Wednesday as the New York Mets host the Los Angeles Dodgers in a nationally televised matchup in Queens.
First pitch at Citi Field is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET.
It may have been 57 year since the then-Brooklyn Dodgers made the move west, but in this part of New York City there are plenty that still remember, which adds some spice to a matchup that might otherwise be lacking in merit.
Los Angeles (24-22, 15-9 road) has had plenty of success in the head-to-head series of late and will be looking to take advantage of the matchup as it tries to gain some ground in the NL West.
New York (20-24, 9-13 home) meanwhile is looking to break out of yet another slump, a downslide that has seen the side fall to the bottom of the NL East standings.
The Dodgers earned a 9-4 victory in the opening game of the series Tuesday, putting on an offensive display.
Adrian Gonzalez went 3-for-4 with a home run for his second straight three-hit game. Yasiel Puig went 3-for-4 as he reached base five times and scored twice. Carl Crawford crossed home plate three times. The Dodgers as a team combined for 15 hits, with eight players recording a hit.
Pitcher Josh Beckett (2-1, 2.89 ERA), one of those to record a hit offensively, allowed four runs on eight hits in five innings. He recorded the win though as the Dodgers bats got hot.
The only downside for the Dodgers was seeing Juan Uribe suffer a hamstring injury in the ninth inning, and is likely headed for the DL.
After impressing in his major league debut last week, Mets pitcher Rafael Montero (0-2, 6.97 ERA) was roughed up, allowing five runs on seven hits to go alongside four walks in 4 1/3 innings of action.
The victory saw the Dodgers snap a streak of three losses in four games. The Californian side has gone 7-10 in its last 17, a trend that will need to be improved upon.
Don Mattingly’s club has been better on the road than at home this season, and will be looking to secure another victory at Citi Field.
The loss marked a fifth loss in six games for the Mets, and dropped the club to a season-worst four games below .500. The Mets have dropped 13 of their last 18, and five of their last six at home. Terry Collins will be looking for his team to turn it around as they take to the field in the middle game of this three-game set.
Wednesday’s nationally televised game will see another New York rookie take to the mound to face a returning star.
In his major league debut last Thursday, Jacob deGrom (0-1, 1.29 ERA) looked sharp and was unlucky to leave with a loss as the Mets fell 1-0 to Masahiro Tanaka and the New York Yankees. The 25-year-old will look for a different result in his second start.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers will welcome Hyun-Jin Ryu (3-2, 3.00 ERA) back to the fold. Ryu has been absent with a shoulder injury since an April 22 meeting with the Colorado Rockies. He was hit around in that game, giving up six hits (five earned) on nine hits at Chavez Ravine that day.
Ryu has been fairly consistent in his seven starts this season, and barring the Colorado game and an early outing against the San Francisco Giants, has kept the score down and the Dodgers in it.
After an impressive debut, Jacob deGrom will look to pick up his first career win.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Mets odds for 05/21/2014
Despite playing on the road, Los Angeles (-135) opened as the favorite over New York (+125) on the moneyline.
Following Tuesday’s victory, the Dodgers have now won five straight, and 10 of the last 11, against the Mets. They’re also 7-1 in their last eight trips to Citi Field. That doesn’t make for comfortable reading for fans in Queens.
The total sits at 7 with the over expected to prevail.
The total has gone over in eight of the last 11 head-to-head meetings between the sides, and in six of the last seven games the two clubs have played at Citi Field, including Tuesday’s series opener.
The over looks like the smart bet then.
The Mets will host the Dodgers in the final game of the series on Thursday, with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET at Citi Field.
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