Mets at Phillies
One can hardly blame New York Mets catcher Wilson Ramos if he is hesitant to turn the page on the calendar, as the 32-year-old has hit safely in all but one contest in August while batting a robust 43-for-99 with 20 RBIs in the month. Ramos carries a career-high 24-game hitting streak into the series finale against the host Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday night.
Ramos collected four hits in New York's 6-3 win on Saturday to improve 15-for-46 with two homers and nine RBIs in the season series against Philadelphia. Todd Frazier continued his strong series, following a two-homer, six-RBI performance in Friday's 11-5 victory with a 3-for-4 effort and two more runs driven in heading into the finale versus right-hander Zach Eflin, against whom he is 4-for-9 with a pair of homers. The Mets have answered an 17-run total over six straight losses with back-to-back victories to move within four games of the Chicago Cubs for the second wild card in the National League. Bryce Harper has at least one hit and one run scored in each of his last eight contests for Philadelphia, which has surrendered 55 runs while losing five of its last eight to reside 3 1/2 games behind the Cubs.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ESPN
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Marcus Stroman (7-12, 3.29 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Zach Eflin (8-11, 4.50)
Stroman fell to 1-1 in five starts since being acquired by the Mets after yielding four runs on six hits over six innings of a 5-2 setback Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs. The 28-year-old New York native was taken deep twice for the second time in three outings, however, after surrendering 11 homers in his previous 23 starts. Corey Dickerson is 10-for-27 with five extra-base hits versus Stroman, who sports a 2-0 mark with a 1.86 ERA and 0.83 WHIP in three career appearances (one start) against Philadelphia.
Eflin recorded his first win in two full months on Aug. 24 after allowing two runs on six hits over six innings of a 9-3 victory at Miami. The 25-year-old's previous win came against the Mets on June 24 despite surrendering three homers, six runs and 11 hits in five frames of a 13-7 triumph. Eflin, who took the loss after permitting four runs on four innings at New York on April 23, has struggled versus Amed Rosario (6-for-13) and Michael Conforto (6-for-21, two homers).
WALK-OFFS
1. Philadelphia 2B Cesar Hernandez is 23-for-54 with six RBIs and nine runs scored in the season series against New York.
2. Conforto is 11-for-28 with four RBIs and four runs scored during his seven-game hitting streak.
3. Phillies C J.T. Realmuto is 0-for-8 in this series after going 8-for-15 with four runs scored in the previous set versus Pittsburgh.