• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Reds-Mets Preview

Jul 11, 2009 - 5:10 AM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Cincinnati (41-43) at New York (40-44), 7:10 p.m. EDT

Johan Santana has lost four times in five starts, and given the state of the New York Mets' offense, it's not likely his margin for error is going to increase anytime soon.

The last time Johnny Cueto took the hill, however, he could barely get an out.

The reeling Mets would love to keep Cueto's struggles going Saturday night, and Santana would surely appreciate some support as New York looks to bounce back from its third shutout loss in five games at Citi Field against the Cincinnati Reds.

Injuries to Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes have played a part in the ongoing impotency of the Mets' offense, an issue that has begun to take its toll in the last two weeks. New York (40-45) has averaged 2.3 runs in dropping 11 of its last 14 games, and its most recent performance at the plate looked familiar.

For the third time this week, the Mets on Friday were limited to four singles in a shutout loss. Bronson Arroyo pitched a complete game, and Joey Votto and Laynce Nix homered to help lift Cincinnati (42-43) to a 3-0 win.

"Lately we've had to play perfect to win each and every game," said third baseman David Wright, batting .227 since Beltran went on the disabled list June 22. "When you don't score, you can't win. It's as simple as that."

New York didn't get a runner to second base Friday, and hasn't homered in 66 innings since Fernando Tatis connected at Pittsburgh on July 2.

Santana (9-7, 3.29 ERA) has felt the effects of the Mets' lack of run support. New York has scored seven runs in the left-hander's last five starts, and Santana has gone 1-4 with a 5.64 ERA.

The two-time Cy Young Award winner gave up two runs and three hits over seven innings Sunday at Philadelphia in a 2-0 loss.

"I did everything I could, but they were better," said Santana, who has 16 strikeouts and 14 walks over his last 30 1-3 innings. "I was trying to give them a chance to win, but in the end it came down to a couple of pitches."

Santana is 2-0 with a 5.48 ERA in five games - four starts - against Cincinnati. Third baseman Edwin Encarnacion, hitting .280 since coming off the DL on July 3, is 4 for 5 with two homers off Santana.

The Reds' offense didn't help out Cueto (8-5, 3.45) in his last start, but run support wouldn't have made much of a difference. Cueto was charged with nine runs and five hits in just two-thirds of an inning Monday at Philadelphia in a 22-1 rout.

"I feel bad about it," Cueto told the Reds' official Web site after seeing his ERA rise from 2.69. "It was one of those days where I didn't have it. It was going to happen one day."

Cueto's luck hasn't been much better against the Mets. He faced New York twice last season, going 0-1 with a 10.80 ERA and allowing four homers in 10 innings.

Tatis is the only Met not on the DL to have homered off Cueto.

New York did make a move Friday designed to bolster its offense, dealing outfielder Ryan Church to Atlanta for Jeff Francoeur. The 25-year-old right fielder, who had three doubles and two RBIs in his final game with the Braves, is expected to start Saturday.

"Jeff brings a certain energy," Wright said. "He can really come here and make an immediate impact."

Francoeur is 1 for 2 with a double in his career against Cueto.