Struggling Mets and Pirates Open Series in Pittsburgh
On Monday, Major League Baseball heads to the Steel City for the opening game of a three-game series featuring the visiting New York Mets versus the host Pittsburgh Pirates. The current line has New York slightly favored at -107, with Pittsburgh on +104 and the over/under run total on 8.
Entering this game, New York has an overall record of 31-24 and 16-12 on the road. Over their past 10 games played, the Mets are 5-5. Pittsburgh on the season has a record of 30-26 overall and 16-11 at home. Over their past 10 games played, the Pirates are 3-7.
The Pirates and Mets are each in second place in their National League division and battling to move up. However, neither team has played its best baseball of late. Pittsburgh is 1-5 over its past six games played. On Sunday, the Pirates lost 5-4 to the Los Angeles Angels.
The Mets lost on Sunday at Miami 1-0 and have now lost 5 of their last 8 overall. New York is currently 2 games out of first place in the NL East behind the Washington Nationals. The Mets have averaged just 2.6 runs per game over their past 8 games played. In their five losses during the span, they scored just 8 runs.
Pittsburgh has not lit up the scoreboard of late, but showed signs it could be breaking out of its scoring slump combining for 12 runs in its two games over the weekend.
In his four games played this month, Jung Ho Kang has 6 hits in 16 at bats including three doubles, two homers and four runs batted in for the Pirates.
New York will send Steven Matz to the mound to face the Pirates. The Mets left-hander is 7-1 with an ERA of 2.60. Pittsburgh will counter with Jonathon Niese. The Pirates southpaw is 5-2 with an ERA of 4.36.
Matz had his streak of 7 consecutive starts with a win snapped last Tuesday allowing 3 runs on 7 hits, but did not get a decision versus the Chicago White Sox.
Niese was in the Mets organization for 11 years before being traded during the winter to Pittsburgh. He has given up two runs or fewer in his past four starts.
Yoenis Cespedes an outfielder for New York has a sore hip and is day to day. On Sunday he available only to pinch hit.
Prediction: Matz looks strong here, but Niese has pitched well of late. Lean on the Pirates.
