Mets at Cubs
Jeff McNeil is doing his best to keep the New York Mets afloat, and the hot-hitting second-year man will try to help his crew to a second straight win over the host Chicago Cubs on Saturday. After recording a pair of hits in a series-opening loss, McNeil had two more in Friday's 5-4 win - including a two-run homer and the go-ahead RBI single in the seventh.
The 27-year-old is 9-for-18 with two home runs, four RBIs and six runs scored during a four-game hitting streak, pushing his batting average to .341. Addison Russell provided a two-run bomb Friday for the Cubs, who had won eight of their previous 10 at Wrigley Field. They will turn to veteran lefty Jose Quintana on Saturday opposite Zack Wheeler for New York. Chicago first baseman Anthony Rizzo was held to just a single in four at-bats Friday but has hit safely in nine straight games against the Mets, batting .450 in that span.
TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, MLB Network, WPIX (New York), ABC 7 (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Zack Wheeler (5-5, 4.94 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Jose Quintana (4-6, 3.87)
Wheeler is 0-2 with a 7.59 ERA over his last two starts, a rocky stretch that comes on the heels of four consecutive outings in which he lasted at least seven frames and produced a 4.13 mark. He spun 6 2/3 scoreless innings in his only prior start in Wrigley Field in 2014. Jason Heyward has found some success against the 29-year-old Wheeler by going 8-for-24 with two home runs in their encounters.
Quintana has failed to complete six innings in four of his last five starts, including a no-decision at the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday in which he gave up two runs in five frames. He has six strikeouts and seven walks over his last two outings after producing 66 and 20, respectively, over his first 13 appearances. The one-time All-Star from Colombia owns a 1.35 ERA in three career starts against New York but has had his issues with Mets newcomer Robinson Cano, who is 7-for-19 with a home run versus Quintana.
WALK-OFFS
1. Mets RHP Edwin Diaz picked up the save Friday with a perfect ninth after giving up eight runs in 6 2/3 frames over his previous six appearances.
2. Russell's home run snapped a string of 14 straight games without an extra-base hit.
3. New York OF Michael Conforto also homered Friday and has hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games.