Game Thread: Mets (42-45) vs Braves (43-45)
Posted by dirtysanchez on 7:00pm, Thursday July 16th 2009
Game Time: 7:10pm
The Wild Things Record: 2-2 Era: 8.78 K: 22 BB: 28 WHIP: 2.25
Mets Notes:
- Hopeful of keeping Perez in some sort of routine, wanting to afford Johan Santana extra rest and mindful of how the schedule breaks after the first series, the Mets have Perez starting the first game after the break. Some of his best performances have come against the Braves, mostly because they were a predominantly left-handed-hitting team. That no longer is as much a factor in his favor. He has a 5-2 record 3.47 ERA in 13 starts against the Braves since the beginning of the 2006 season. He has a 2-1 record and 3.06 ERA in five career starts at Turner Field. Chipper Jones has a .423 average in 26 career at-bats against Perez.
- The losses of Carlos Beltran (bruised right knee), Jose Reyes (right calf tendinitis), Carlos Delgado (right hip surgery), starting pitcher John Maine (right shoulder fatigue) and set-up man J.J. Putz (right elbow surgery) are some big reasons why fourth-place New York (42-45) is 6 1/2 games behind NL East-leading Philadelphia.
- After notching a career-best 15 victories with a 3.56 ERA in 2007, inconsistency has plagued the left-hander the last two seasons. He went 10-7 with a 4.22 ERA last year, but never recorded victories in consecutive outings. In April, he was booed after getting shelled in an exhibition loss at Citi Field, and went 1-2 with a 9.97 ERA in five regular-season starts before his injury.
LINEUP
Pagan, CF
Castillo, 2B
Wright, 3B
Sheffield, LF
Franceour, RF
Murphy, 1B
Cora, SS
Schneider, C
Perez, P
- Record: 8-7 Era: 4.39 K: 61 BB: 37 WHIP: 1.40
Braves Notes:
- The Braves’ Derek Lowe (8-7, 4.39) comes out of the All-Star break looking to improve on his worst ERA in five NL seasons, and trying to build off what he called his “best start of the year.” Lowe allowed one run over six innings in a 4-1 win Friday at Colorado after going 0-4 with an 8.61 ERA over his previous five outings.
- The right-hander recorded his second career victory over the Mets on May 11 by giving up two runs and five hits in an 8-3 win in New York. After going 1-8 in Atlanta last season, the Mets swept a two-game series at Turner Field from May 4-5.
LINEUP
McLouth, CF
Prado, 2B
Jones, 3B
McCann, C
Escober, SS
Anderson, LF
Diaz, RF
Kotchman, 1B
Lowe, P
- Let get off to a hot start!
Dont forget you can chat live in the Real Dirty Dugout! LGM!
Larry leaves the door open, albeit just a small crack.
Well that sucked, until the next Mets loss ladies and gentlemen (tomorrow night), I’m outta here…..