IGT #90 7/17 Hit The Cards Running

[Ceetar]

Second half kicks off with some bird watching, so grab your binoculars.

Thor versus [crossout:zm3rfaf3]Laurel[/crossout:zm3rfaf3] Lance Lynn.

8:15 on SNY or WOR

[Guest d'Kong76]

NY Mets at St. Louis
When: 8:15 PM ET, Friday, July 17, 2015
Where: Busch Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri
SportsDirect Inc.

After winning four in a row and six of seven prior to the All-Star break, the New York Mets will test their mettle (ha ha) on Friday when they open a six-game road trip with the first of three contests at the St. Louis Cardinals. New York, which trails National League East-leading Washington by two games, will conclude the trek with three contests against the Nationals.

While the Mets' pitching has been as good as advertised, their offense has been limited at best - with offseason acquisition Michael Cuddyer among four players receiving plenty of time in the lineup despite posting sub-.300 on-base percentages. Signed to a two-year, $21 million deal, the 36-year-old Cuddyer hasn't provided much bang for the buck on the field as he deals with a bone bruise below his left kneecap. New York will need all hands on deck against St. Louis, which saw its lead over Pittsburgh in the NL Central trimmed to 2 1/2 games after losing three straight to the Pirates. All-Star Jhonny Peralta, who leads the team in average (.298), homers (13) and RBIs (46), collected two doubles among his four hits and two RBIs as the Cardinals split a four-game series at Citi Field on May 18-21.

TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Noah Syndergaard (4-4, 3.11 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Lance Lynn (6-5, 2.90)

Syndergaard was downright spectacular in his outing last Friday, striking out a career-best 13 batters over eight innings in a 4-2 victory over Arizona. The 22-year-old rookie hasn't fared well when he has left Citi Field, however, going 0-3 with a 5.33 ERA while allowing the opposition to bat .286 against him. Syndergaard, who has a 1.23 ERA over his last three trips to the mound, will be making his 12th start of the season and the first of his career versus St. Louis.

Lynn suffered his first loss since May 22 after surrendering five runs on nine hits in a season-low four innings of a 5-2 setback to Pittsburgh last Friday. The 28-year-old was making his fourth start since returning from the disabled list, and had yielded only two runs (one earned) in 19 innings over the first three. Lynn owns a 4-1 mark at home this season but is just 1-3 in his career versus the Mets.

WALK-OFFS:
1. St. Louis 3B Matt Carpenter, who is batting .190 (24-for-126) since June 1, had a homer with four RBIs and five runs scored during his last four games.
2. New York's last 15 runs scored came as a result of home runs.
3. Cardinals LF Matt Holliday (quadriceps strain), who has been sidelined since June 8, is expected to return from the disabled list for the series opener.

[G-Fafif]

Meet the Mets for the second half this year:

Granderson RF
Flores 2B
Murphy 3B
Duda 1B
Plawecki C
Nieuwenhuis LF
Tejada SS
Syndergaard P
Lagares CF

[G-Fafif]

Fourth consecutive Friday start for Noah. Gotta be some kind of record.

[G-Fafif]

Wong 2B
Carpenter 3B
Holliday LF
Peralta SS
Heyward RF
Molina C
Reynolds 1B
Grichuk CF
Lynn RHP

[ashie62]

They are all big games from here on.

LETS GO METS!

[Guest d'Kong76]

Nieuwey over Cuddy!

[G-Fafif]

d'Kong76 wrote: Nieuwey over Cuddy!

Can't sit the three-home run guy the game directly after his historic feat.

[Edgy MD]

I'm remembering Wally Backman having a 5�5 day back in 1985 and riding pine the next day.

Of course he did. The Pirates were going with a lefty.

[ashie62]

On Gaard!!!

[Zvon]

G-Fafif wrote: d'Kong76 wrote: Nieuwey over Cuddy! Can't sit the three-home run guy the game directly after his historic feat.

I'm still a bit surprised. I like it.

Mets baseball is back. yay!

I thought the game was at 7 so the last hour was a tough one.

[Zvon]

CURTBOOM!!!!!

[ashie62]

Keith is right on calling St. Louis "Pit City" in the summer. It is freakin hot.

[Zvon]

Ashie62 wrote: Keith is right on calling St. Louis "Pit City" in the summer. It is freakin hot.

What was the joke there? Gary made it seem that there was more to the "pit city" nickname.

[Edgy MD]

Cardinal broadcast booth � also apparently unaware of the existence of Harper or Goldschmidt � started pimping Peralta for MVP.

Peralta obliged by striking out. Syndergaard for MVP!

[Edgy MD]

This dopey Missouri football player they're interviewing in the booth is driving me crazy. I've got to pay for the upgrade to get the SNY feed.

[Zvon]

Wong sucks. Make it count Muffy.

[Zvon]

Boo muff! He hit it hard tho.

1 run ain't gonna do it boys!

[Edgy MD]

Run harder, Daniel Murphy.

Good tough at-bat, but run harder at the end of it.

Let's stop this bunt.

[Edgy MD]

Duda had a play at least at second. Mebbe at third.

[Edgy MD]

Kolten Wong has a busy swing. Surprised to see him make such good contact.

Two out, though.

[Edgy MD]

Synderthunder gets us out of that one.

Opponents one for their last 26 against him with two out and RISP.

[Zvon]

See that 2 strike bunt? Good teams do that kinda thing. I expected them to score but Thor put the hammer down. Very nice.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Zvon wrote: See that 2 strike bunt? Good teams do that kinda thing.

bifl, rinse and repeat

[Zvon]

Newy, 2 Ks looking. aaaaaaargh. At least make some contact- gimme some hope.

[Edgy MD]

Zvon wrote: See that 2 strike bunt? Good teams do that kinda thing. I expected them to score but Thor put the hammer down. Very nice.

Lance Link stinks. He got lucky when Duda decided to eat the ball.

Announcers were telling about him hurting himself in previous games by not getting bunts down. Good teams, nuttin'.

[ashie62]

Zvon wrote: Ashie62 wrote: Keith is right on calling St. Louis "Pit City" in the summer. It is freakin hot. What was the joke there? Gary made it seem that there was more to the "pit city" nickname.

Think sweaty arm pits, ass p--s etc lol

[Zvon]

Only Murphy would reach up for the flying bat while making the play. No other person walking this earth would do that. Conclusion? He's a special player.

[ashie62]

On Gaard. Danger time.

[ashie62]

Noah looks the part of one old school badass fireballer.