Final
Mets-Padres Preview
May 8, 2016 - 5:16 AM The New York Mets' stud pitchers put in stellar work during an eight-game win streak in April, but a lack of run support since then led to some ordinary results.The Mets regained some pop in their previous game - and even their 42-year-old starting pitcher got in on the act.
New York will try to continue scoring when Matt Harvey takes the mound Sunday looking to help the club salvage a four-game split against the San Diego Padres.
The Mets' rotation posted a 2.51 ERA during their streak April 22-30.
Harvey (2-4, 4.76 ERA), Jacob deGrom and Steven Matz led the way with two victories apiece, and Noah Syndergaard also pitched well in his one start during the surge.
Bartolo Colon has earned two wins and Matz picked up one in the seven games since the streak, but Syndergaard lost twice while Harvey and deGrom have both taken a loss.
The starters, however, shouldn't shoulder the blame because they posted a 2.84 ERA in the six games after the streak. Run support was the issue for the Mets, who scored 50 times during the eight-game run but only 16 times in the six that followed.
That dip in production appeared to end Saturday when New York (18-11) went deep four times in a 6-3 win over San Diego (13-18), including a two-run shot by Colon, who turns 43 on May 24 and became the oldest player to hit his first major league home run.
Yoenis Cespedes hit his 10th of the season and fifth in 10 games before David Wright and Michael Conforto added back-to-back solo blasts in the ninth.
New York will try to keep it up to back Harvey, who is 1-1 with a 3.50 ERA in three career starts against the Padres.
The right-hander received 10 combined runs of support in winning his previous two outings before the Mets were shut out for the second time when he starts in Tuesday's 3-0 loss to Atlanta. In two of his other starts, New York has put up one and two runs.
Despite the lack of support, Harvey is blaming his early struggles on bad mechanics and not his heavy 2015 workload in his comeback from Tommy John surgery. He was 5-1 with a 2.72 ERA after his first six starts last season.
"My body doesn't feel bad," Harvey told MLB's official website. "I don't feel tired. I don't feel any downside from the workload last year. It's just right now, I'm in a little funk with my mechanics, and we're working to get rid of that."
Opposing Harvey will be Andrew Cashner (2-2, 4.85), who has notched three quality starts in his last four outings. The right-hander tossed six resilient innings and allowed three runs and five hits in a 6-3 win over Colorado on Tuesday.
Cashner's first two innings were rough - he allowed all three runs while laboring through 57 pitches - before he bounced back to clamp it down. He'll now try to win consecutive outings for the first time since a three-start streak in September 2014.
"You never use your last start as motivation - you forget about it," Cashner said. "Today's over with, and it's on to the Mets on Sunday. Can't really look back. You've just got to keep looking forward, good or bad."
Cashner is 0-2 with a 7.88 ERA in three career starts against New York.
Padres second baseman Jemile Weeks strained his right hamstring running out a bunt in the seventh Saturday and was helped off the field. His status is unclear.
- NEW YORK: 4
SAN DIEGO: 3
Final
Sep 26 12:01 PM - NEW YORK: 4
SAN DIEGO: 3
End 9
May 8 8:10 PM - Alex Dickerson flies out to right field to Curtis Granderson.
Mets 4, Padres 3 Bot 7, 2 OutsMay 8 7:08 PM - Asdrubal Cabrera singles to center field. Matt Harvey scores.
Mets 4, Padres 2 Top 6, 2 OutsMay 8 6:35 PM - Christian Bethancourt homers to left field. Alexei Ramirez scores.
Mets 3, Padres 2 Bot 5, 1 OutMay 8 6:10 PM - Asdrubal Cabrera singles to left field. Curtis Granderson to second. Matt Harvey to third. Eric Campbell scores.
Mets 2, Padres 0 Top 2, 2 OutsMay 8 5:13 PM - Eric Campbell singles to shallow center field. Kevin Plawecki scores.
Mets 1, Padres 0 Top 2, 2 OutsMay 8 5:06 PM - Curtis Granderson singles to center field.
May 8 4:41 PM
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