The last time the Philadelphia Phillies visited Citi Field, they were embarrassed in historic fashion.
A similar result seems unlikely this time considering how the Phillies and New York Mets have fared lately, including last weekend when they faced each other.Watch Philadelphia Phillies vs New York Mets Live stream mlb-stream.blogspot.com August 13
Philadelphia got some revenge in that series and hope for more in this three-game set starting Friday night.
The lone series between these NL East foes at Citi Field this year came May 25-27, and the Phillies were shut out three straight days for the first time since 1983. No team had blanked another in a three-game set since 2004, and the only other time the Mets did it was at Philadelphia in September 1969 en route to winning the World Series.Watch Philadelphia Phillies vs New York Mets Live stream mlb-stream.blogspot.com August 13
New York (57-57) is unlikely to make another championship run, nine games behind first-place Atlanta due to its 9-17 record since the All-Star break. The Mets have hit .215 in that span while averaging 3.0 runs.
The Phillies (64-50) are within two games of the Braves thanks to their 16-4 record since July 21. During that stretch, the two-time reigning NL champions are batting .300 while averaging 5.5 runs.
The teams hadn't met since that series in New York until last weekend. Philadelphia totaled 13 runs and 23 hits in two wins and was shut out in the other game, but that came against Johan Santana and he won't pitch in this series after throwing a four-hitter to beat Colorado 4-0 on Thursday.
That win gave New York only its second series victory since June 27.
"Every game for us is very important," Santana told the Mets' official website. "Every time we go out there, we go out there with the mentality of winning."
Cole Hamels (7-8, 3.45 ERA) should be happy not facing Santana again after losing to the Mets ace in Saturday's 1-0 defeat despite a season-high 11 strikeouts in seven innings.
Hamels received no runs of support for the seventh time in 14 starts, a stretch during which he's 2-6 despite a 3.15 ERA.
"I think if I can just go out there and play my part as much as I possibly can, and go deep in ballgames and execute, that's all I can really do and that's all I can really control," Hamels told the Phillies' official website.
He's 1-6 in his last eight outings against the Mets, getting nine runs of support -- none in two losses this year. The left-hander is 0-3 with a 4.98 ERA in six starts in Queens.
Battery mate Carlos Ruiz delivered the game-winning two-run double in the ninth inning Thursday of a 10-9 victory over Los Angeles. Jayson Werth, batting .480 in his last seven games, drove in two runs for the Phillies, who scored eight times in the final two innings.
Philadelphia now looks to beat R.A. Dickey (7-5, 2.65) again after handing the knuckleballer his worst start of the season Sunday, when he was tagged for six runs and eight hits in three innings of a 6-5 defeat. He had a 1.59 ERA in his previous five outings.
Dickey, however, is 4-1 with a 1.53 ERA at home and beat Philadelphia there May 25, going six innings in an 8-0 victory.
The Phillies have never scored in 15 innings against Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez, but he won't be available for at least the series opener due to his arrest Wednesday for assaulting his girlfriend's father at Citi Field. Rodriguez was placed on the restricted list Thursday for two days without pay.
"He feels sorry about what happened, but it's too late," New York's Carlos Beltran said. "We all have family issues. But those family issues should be addressed at the house, not near the ballpark."
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