Mets at Brewers
With its offense not doing much toward the end of a just-completed 10-game homestand, the New York Mets' pitching staff played a critical role in the team breaking even. Steven Matz will attempt to follow a brilliant effort from teammate Noah Syndergaard on Friday when the Mets begin a six-game road trip with the first of three in Milwaukee against the Brewers.
New York rebounded from a 1-0 loss to Cincinnati on Wednesday by turning the tables on the Reds on Thursday as Syndergaard struck out 10 while tossing a four-hitter, and he accounted for the only offense in the game with a solo homer in the third inning. The victory wrapped a 5-5 run at Citi Field for the Mets (16-15), who are 7-11 since reaching a season-best five games over .500 on April 12. Two of their losses during the homestand came last weekend against Milwaukee, representing the Brewers' only series victory since taking two of three from St. Louis from April 15-17. Milwaukee blew a pair of chances to end that drought on Wednesday and Thursday, giving up 11 runs in consecutive games to Colorado and settling for a series split after holding the Rockies' offense in check the previous two contests.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets LH Steven Matz (3-1, 3.68 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Brandon Woodruff (3-1, 5.17)
Matz earned the victory for the third time in his last four trips to the mound Sunday, permitting two runs on five hits and no walks across a season-high seven innings against Milwaukee. Excluding his dreadful outing on April 16 in Philadelphia during which he was charged with six earned runs while failing to record an out, the 27-year-old is 3-0 with a 1.84 ERA in his other five turns. Matz is 4-1 with a 3.16 ERA in five career starts versus the Brewers.
Woodruff has yet to record a quality start but pitched arguably his best game of the year Saturday in his first career outing against the Mets, yielding one run on six hits while striking out six over five innings. The Mississippi State product has lasted six frames only once in six trips to the mound and struggled against left-handed hitters in particular so far, allowing them to bat .344. Pete Alonso (2-for-3) and Brandon Nimmo (2-for-2) have each fared well versus Woodruff.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Brewers have homered in each of their first 18 home games, tying the 2002 Oakland Athletics for the second-longest streak to open a season. (Toronto went deep in 21 straight to begin the 2000 season.)
2. Mets SS Amed Rosario went 0-for-3 without a walk Thursday, ending his career-best 15-game on-base streak.
3. Milwaukee OF Christian Yelich (back) hasn't played since injuring his back Sunday in New York, but manager Craig Counsell told reporters on Wednesday the reigning National League MVP is "on track" to return at some point this weekend.