Mets at Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers have been without the services of the reigning National League MVP for nearly a week, but Christian Yelich's absence hasn't prevented them from hitting for power - especially at home. The Brewers attempt to inch one step closer to tying a major-league record on Saturday, when they host the New York Mets for the middle contest of their three-game series.
Lorenzo Cain hit his fifth career leadoff home run and Ryan Braun clubbed a tiebreaking two-run shot in the fifth inning to send the Brewers to a 3-1 victory on Friday - their fifth win in eight tries as they pulled into a tie with Seattle for the league lead with 61 homers. Milwaukee has recorded at least one blast in all 19 of its home games, setting a club record and leaving itself two shy of matching the 2000 Toronto Blue Jays for the longest such run to begin a season in major-league history. The Mets have hovered around the break-even mark lately, mostly due to an offense that has come up short for the better part of two-plus weeks. New York has scored exactly one run in three straight contests and is averaging 3.3 over its last 16 games - a far cry from the 6.1 average it produced in its first 16 contests.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Zack Wheeler (2-2, 5.05 ERA) vs. Brewers LH Gio Gonzalez (0-0, 3.60)
Wheeler was unable to build off a dominant 11-strikeout effort in his previous start, permitting four runs on seven hits and three walks over six innings in a no-decision versus Cincinnati on Monday. The outing snapped a streak of three straight quality starts by the 28-year-old, who is 2-1 with a 3.12 ERA over his last four turns. Jesus Aguilar is 2-for-3 with a homer and four RBIs against Wheeler, who gave up four runs in six frames of a no-decision in his only start versus the Brewers last season.
Gonzalez settled for a no-decision in his season debut against the Mets on Sunday, allowing two runs on six hits and a walk in five innings. The two-time All-Star, who began the year in the New York Yankees organization before opting out of his minor-league contract, returned to the Brewers last week after going 3-0 with a 2.13 ERA in five starts with them down the stretch last year. Juan Lagares is 19-for-47 with a home run and five RBIs versus Gonzalez, who is 15-6 with one shutout and a 2.85 ERA in 27 career starts against the Mets.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Brewers have taken three of the four meetings this season and are 9-1 in their last 10 home games versus the Mets.
2. Mets LHP Luis Avilan left Friday's contest after making 11 pitches in relief with elbow tightness.
3. Of Milwaukee's 162 runs on the season, 63 percent have come via the home run - nearly 10 percent higher than the all-time mark of 53.1 set by Toronto in 2010.