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Phillies-Mets Preview

Aug 22, 2009 - 5:30 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Philadelphia (69-49) at New York (56-65), 7:10 p.m. EDT

The last three times J.A. Happ has taken the mound, he followed losses by the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies. The impressive rookie, though, has prevented them from becoming losing streaks.

Happ will try to do that for a fourth consecutive outing Saturday night when the Phillies face the New York Mets in the second of this four-game series at Citi Field.

Happ (9-2, 2.66 ERA) is 2-0 with a 1.19 ERA in his last three games, each coming after losses by the Phillies (69-50). The left-hander is in familiar territory again after Philadelphia fell 4-2 to New York (57-65) to lose for only the second time in 10 games, while halting a five-game winning streak against the rival Mets.

Happ's last appearance followed a 4-3 loss at Atlanta last Saturday. He helped the Phillies rebound with another outstanding performance the next day, yielding one run and three hits with six walks in 7 2-3 innings of a 4-1 road win over the Braves on Sunday.

"He's not a rookie any more," first baseman Ryan Howard said. "He's proven himself to be a very poised pitcher."

Happ is 5-1 with a 1.77 ERA in 14 games - nine starts - on the road. However, one of those outings came at Citi Field on June 9, when he was reached for four runs and six hits, including two homers, in 5 1-3 innings while not getting a decision in a 6-5 loss.

Overall, Happ is 0-1 with a 5.03 ERA in five games - three starts - against the Mets with four of those contests resulting in Philadelphia losses.

Howard has been hot of late, hitting .370 with six homers and 20 RBIs over the last 12 games. He ranks among the league leaders with 32 homers and 99 RBIs.

The All-Star first baseman, though, is 3 for 24 with 10 strikeouts against Tim Redding, New York's scheduled starter Saturday.

Redding (1-4, 6.53) is getting a spot start after the Mets released Livan Hernandez on Thursday.

Despite giving Redding his first start since a 9-8, 10-inning win at Pittsburgh on July 2, manager Jerry Manuel may opt to give that spot to a prospect once the rosters expand on Sept. 1.

"From a manager's point of view, I probably always want to see youth at this point, but it has to be the right timing," Manuel said. "The player development people have to say a young player will come into this situation and not be hurt by it."

Redding has been touched for six runs and eight hits, including two homers, in four innings over his last two relief appearances. The right-hander went 1-3 with a 6.99 ERA in nine starts before being moved to the bullpen following the July 2 outing.

Redding is 5-3 with a 3.34 ERA in 12 starts against the Phillies. He was effective against them on June 11, allowing three runs in seven innings of a 6-3, 10-inning loss at home.

Jeff Francoeur appears to have settled into the Mets' new stadium, hitting .303 with three homers and 10 RBIs in 20 games there since being acquired in a trade with Atlanta on July 10. The right fielder has been even better in the last six home games, posting a .417 average after connecting for a solo homer on one of his three hits Friday.