(Sports Network) - The New York Mets are back in the friendly confines of
Citi Field and will be on the rebound tonight in the opener of a three-game
series versus the slumping Philadelphia Phillies.
The Mets went 4-3 on a recent road trip and dropped an 8-3 decision against
the Los Angeles Dodgers Sunday night in the finale of a four-game series.
After scoring 34 runs during a four-game winning streak, the Mets' bat were
silenced in a five-hit attack. Ruben Tejada had a team-best two hits for New
York, which now sits 3 1/2 games behind Washington for the NL East lead.
Scott Hairston had a first-inning RBI single in defeat. Dillon Gee got the
start for the Mets and was dealt the loss, as he allowed four runs -- two
earned -- and five hits in six innings.
"We didn't play good tonight," said Mets manager Terry Collins. "Dillon
pitched good and we didn't help him. We just had a bad night tonight."
New York is 23-17 at home this season and will also host the Chicago Cubs for
three games on the upcoming residency.
Jonathan Niese looks to add to Philadelphia's misery when he takes the mound
Tuesday. Niese has won two straight starts and four of his previous five
decisions, including last Wednesday's 17-1 pounding of the Cubs at Wrigley
Field. He held the hosts to a run in seven innings and struck out six batters.
Niese, who is 6-3 with a 3.55 earned run average in 15 starts, hopes to
improve his 3-1 home ledger tonight in his 12th career start against the
Phillies. The left-hander is 4-4 with a 3.86 ERA in 11 starts in this series.
It was announced Sunday that David Wright and R.A. Dickey were named to the
All-Star team.
Philadelphia will send three players to the All-Star Game -- Carlos Ruiz, Cole
Hamels and Jonathan Papelbon -- but haven't played like the league's elite
lately with five straight losses and seven over the last nine games.
The Phillies opened a six-game road trip by getting swept in a three-game
series against the Miami Marlins, culminating with Sunday's 5-2 loss at
Marlins Park. Joe Blanton was saddled with the loss after he gave up three
runs in six innings, while Juan Pierre had two hits and two runs scored.
"We are where we are right now," Pierre told the club's website. "We can't go
back. We've dug ourselves a pretty good hole here, and all we can do is look
forward and not try to win four games in a row when you're only playing
three."
Philadelphia, which is nine games under .500, is last in the NL East at 11
games off the pace and mired in a six-game road losing streak. It is 19-21
away from home and hopes Vance Worley can pitch the ballclub out of its funk
when he takes the mound Tuesday. Worley ended a four-start winless streak
(0-2) in last Tuesday's 5-4 win over Pittsburgh and allowed three runs in six
innings.
Worley is 4-4 in 12 starts with a 2.92 ERA and lost to the Mets on April 14
this season, when he gave up four runs in six innings of a 5-0 loss. The
right-hander is 3-2 with a 3.60 ERA in seven career games (5 starts) against
the Mets.
The Phillies have lost six of nine matchups with New York this season, but won
two of three at Citi Field from May 28-30.
The Sports Network