Tigers at Mets
After a lost weekend in Miami that extended their losing streak to five games and ramped up speculation on manager Mickey Callaway's future, the New York Mets have turning things around in abrupt and dramatic fashion. Following a sweep of the Washington Nationals, the Mets go for their fifth straight win in Friday's opener of a three-game set versus the visiting Detroit Tigers.
Carlos Gomez clubbed a three-run home run in the eighth inning in New York's 6-4 victory Thursday, the third straight game the Mets went ahead in their final at-bat. "Now we're winning ballgames, there's definitely a different air because of that," Callaway said. "But these guys have not quit one time. They're tremendous. That's an unbelievable comeback right there." While New York is finding ways to win, Detroit is inventing ways to lose, completing a winless 10-game homestand (0-9 with a suspended contest) with a 5-2 loss to Miami on Thursday. "I know we can continue to move forward," pitcher Matthew Boyd said after his club was victimized by a grand slam in the ninth inning. "It's not going to change anything. We're going to come out tomorrow and do our thing."
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, SNY (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers LH Gregory Soto (0-2, 10.80 ERA) vs. Mets RH Noah Syndergaard (3-4, 4.50)
Soto, making his fourth appearance since he was summoned from Double-A Erie, went four innings and allowed three runs on three hits in a no-decision versus Oakland on Sunday. The 24-year-old Dominican, who never pitched at Triple-A and had only three starts with Erie, was rocked in his major league debut at Minnesota, giving up seven runs on nine hits in four innings to take the loss. He came back three days later against Houston and took the loss, lasting only two innings and permitting two runs on three hits.
Syndergaard has turned things around since the calendar flipped to May, although he deserved a better fate last time out, absorbing the loss after holding Miami to two runs over seven innings in his third straight start on the road. The 26-year-old pitched eight innings of two-run ball to beat Washington in his previous turn and is 2-1 with a 2.40 ERA this month after posting a 1-3 mark with a 6.43 ERA in April. Josh Harrison is 2-for-9 against Syndergaard, who lost his lone career start versus the Tigers.
WALK-OFFS
1. Mets OF Yoenis Cespedes underwent ankle surgery and is expected to miss the rest of the season.
2. Tigers 1B Miguel Cabrera collected two hits Thursday to move into sole possession of 60th place on the all-time list with 2,727.
3. New York placed INFs Robinson Cano and Jeff McNeil on the injured list Thursday.