Today's game notes, courtesy of @Mets.
Teams: Mets vs. Padres
Date: Sunday, August 5, 2012 • 4:05 p.m
Location: Petco Park • San Diego, CA
Starters: RHP Matt Harvey (1-1, 1.59) vs. RHP Jason Marquis (4-6, 4.08)
TV/Radio: SNY • WFAN • WQBU
Info: Game #109 • Road Game #57
Lineup
Ruben Tejada - SS
Jordany Valdespin - CF
David Wright - 3B
Ike Davis - 1B
Daniel Murphy - 2B
Jason Bay - LF
Mike Baxter - RF
Rob Johnson - C
Matt Harvey - RHP
METS AT A GLANCE: The Mets have won five of their last seven games after losing 14 of their previous 16 contests...New York is 6-4 in its last 10 games...The Mets are 7-15 since the All-Star break...The Mets are 4-6 in rubber games this year, including 2-2 on the road.
ON THE ROAD: New York is 6-4 on its season-high 11-game road trip and have guaranteed a winning road trip...It’s the Mets third winning road trip this year...Overall, the Mets are 3-3-2 on road trips in 2012 after going 6-4-3 on road trips last year...The Mets are 27-29 overall on the road this year...David Wright is second in the majors with a .359 road batting average.
SCORING EARLY: New York has scored nine first-inning runs during the first 10 games of the road trip...The Mets have plated the first run of the game eight times during this road trip...The Mets are 38-18 when they score first.
SUNDAY: Daniel Murphy is batting .397 (23-58) on Sunday, the third-highest batting average in the majors while Ruben Tejada is hitting .395 (17-43) the fifth-highest mark in the majors (min. 40 at-bats).
MIKE BAXTER: Established a franchise record with five walks in nine-inning game...The previous mark was four walks done many times last by Jason Bay on June 29, 2011 at Detroit...Vince Coleman walked five times in a 16-inning game vs. Pittsburgh on August 10, 1992...The last major leaguer to walk five times in a nine-inning game was the Phillies’ Ryan Howard on May 30, 2006...Research courtesy of the Elias Sports Bureau.
WALKS: The Mets drew a season-high 10 walks yesterday...New York is tied for third in the National League and tied for sixth in the majors with 362 base on balls...Last night was the 54th time in team history the club had double-digit walks in a nine-inning game and the first time since August 13, 2008 at Washington...The Mets had two walks with the bases loaded last night and has six walks with the bases full this year, which is tied for ninth in the National League...David Wright is fifth in the majors with 65 walks...Mets pitchers have walked 324 batters this year, ranking 18th in the majors.
RUBEN TEJADA: Went 2-5 last night to extend his hitting streak to 10 games, equaling his career-best...Tejada also had a 10-game hitting streak from June 12-27, 2010...Tejada is batting .369 (17-46) during this current stretch...The Mets shortstop is hitting .331 (52-157) with a .369 on-base percentage since he returned from the Disabled List on June 24.
DANIEL MURPHY: Tied his career-high with four hits last night...It was his fifth four-hit game this year and the sixth of his career...According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Murphy’s five, four-hit games tie him with Pittsburgh’s Andrew McCutchen for most in the majors this year...The five games with four or more hits are tied for the second most in franchise history for a single-season...Keith Hernandez had seven games of at least four hits in 1985...Murphy is hitting .392 (47-120) with 20 RBI and 20 extra-base hits over his last 33 games...Murphy is batting .405 (45-111) against NL West opponents this season.
SCOTT HAIRSTON: Is hitting .323 (20-62) with 11 runs scored, six doubles, two home runs and 10 RBI in his last 21 games.
DAVID WRIGHT: Ranks third in the majors with a .424 on-base percentage, sixth with a .328 batting average and tied for 11th with 72 RBI...Wright is eighth in the National League with 67 runs scored ...Wright is one home run shy of becoming the third player in franchise history to reach the 200 home run plateau...Darryl Strawberry (252) and Mike Piazza (220) are the others...Wright is also three RBI shy of 800 for his career.
ON THE MOUND: Over the team’s last seven games, the pitching staff has posted a 2.17 ERA (15 earned runs/62.1 innings)...Overall, Mets starters rank eighth in the majors with a 3.77 ERA...The bullpen has posted an ERA of a 1.96 (four earned runs/18.1 innings) over its last eight contests...Overall, New York’s bullpen has the second-worst ERA (4.91) in the majors...The pen has lost 21 games, the third-most in the majors and has 17 blown saves, the third-most in the majors.
HARVEY HISTORY: Matt Harvey has 18 strikeouts over his first two major league games...He has more strikeouts than any other pitcher in franchise history after his first two major league games...Tom Seaver (1967), Dick Selma (1965) and Bill Denehy (1967) are tied for second with 13...According to the Elias Sports Bureau, only three other active pitchers struck out at least 18 batters in their first two major league games: Stephen Strasburg (22), Tim Hudson (19) and Johnny Cueto (18)...Harvey has allowed two earned runs, seven hits and six walks in 11.2 innings.
FRANK FRANCISCO: Earned the save last night after inducing a double play in his first appearance since June 22 vs. the Yankees ...Francisco has saved 11 of his last 12 save opportunities dating back to May 14...Despite missing over a month, Francisco is tied for 10th in the NL with 19 saves and his 19 saves are the second-most in his career...He registered 25 saves in 2009 with Texas.
TWO-OUTS: The Mets scored four, two-out runs last night and have scored 13 of their last 16 runs with two outs...New York leads the majors with 220 two-out runs this year...New York is hitting .267 with two outs, the third-highest average in the majors...New York’s pitching staff has surrendered 195 runs with two outs, the fourth-most in the majors.
RISP: The Mets were 3-15 with runners in scoring position last night... New York is hitting .262 with RISP on the season, ranking 11th in the majors...New York is hitting .283 (150-530) on the road with RISP...The Mets are hitting .277 with runners in scoring position and two outs, the highest average in the majors.
JOHAN SANTANA: Will make a rehabilitation start today for Brooklyn (A) of the New-York Penn League vs. Auburn at MCU Park at 5 p.m...He is expected to pitch 3.0 innings...Santana was placed on the 15-Day Disabled List on July 21 with a sprained right ankle...Santana is 6-7 with a 3.98 ERA (49 earned runs/110.2 innings) in 19 starts, including the franchise’s first no-hitter on June 1 vs. St. Louis.
MINOR NOTE: Zack Wheeler is scheduled to make his Triple-A debut today for Buffalo vs. Syracuse...Wheeler went 10-6 with a 3.26 ERA (42 earned runs/116.0 innings) with 117 strikeouts at Binghamton (AA) of the Eastern League.
2013 ALL-STAR LOGO: Representatives of Major League Baseball, the New York Mets and the City of New York will hold a press conference at Citi Field on Tuesday, August 7 to unveil the official logo of the 2013 MLB All-Star Game...Tuesday's press conference will begin at 3:00 p.m. in the Delta Sky360 Club.
LAST START: Took the loss in the Mets’ 4-1 defeat to the San Francisco Giants on July 31...Pitched 6.0 innings and allowed three runs, two earned, four hits and three walks...Struck out seven.
ROOKIE STRIKEOUTS: His 18 strikeouts set a franchise record for most strikeouts by a pitcher after his first two Major League games. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, only three other active pitchers struck out at least 18 batters in their first two major league games: Stephen Strasburg (22), Tim Hudson (19) and Johnny Cueto (18).
MAJOR LEAGUE HISTORY: Harvey made Major League history on July 25 by becoming the first player in the modern era (since 1900) to throw 10 or more strikeouts and have at least two hits in a game...Research courtesy of the Elias Sports Bureau.
STRIKEOUTS: Harvey’s 11 strikeouts were the most in franchise history for a pitcher making his major league debut...The previous record of eight strikeouts was held by Tom Seaver, April 13, 1967 vs. Pittsburgh and Bill Denehy, April 16, 1967 at Philadelphia...His 11 strikeouts were tied for the eighth-most since 1900 for a pitcher making his major league debut.
THE REST OF THE STORY: Harvey is the fourth pitcher since 1960 to strike out 11 or more batters without allowing a run in his major league debut, joining Milwaukee's Steve Woodard (July 28, 1997), Cleveland's Luis Tiant (July 19, 1964) and San Francisco's Juan Marichal (July 19, 1960)...Information courtesy of the Elias Sports Bureau.
ACTIVATED: Harvey was placed on the Mets’ taxi squad on July 23 and was activated to the 25-man roster on July 24...At the time of his promotion, ranked second in the International League with 112 strikeouts...Also tied for the Bisons lead in wins (seven) and had the second-best ERA (3.68) on the team among qualifying pitchers.
TEN STRIKEOUTS: Struck out double-digits in three starts for Buffalo this season...Fanned 10 in 6.0 innings on April 20 at Syracuse, then got a season-best 11 on May 18 vs. Gwinnett...Struck out another 10 vs. Pawtucket on June 14.
FIRST-ROUND METS: Harvey is the 10th pitcher chosen in the first round by the Mets to make a start for the team...He is the first since RHP Mike Pelfrey made his Mets debut on July 8, 2006...Including Harvey, eight of the 10 are righties.
2012 ALL-STAR: Named MiLB.com Top Star honors in the 2012 Triple-A All-Star Game on July 11...Threw two hitless innings, striking out two.
STRONG STRETCH: From April 20-June 3, went 5-0 with a 2.68 ERA and 52 strikeouts in nine starts.
2011 HIGHLIGHTS: In his first professional season, finished with a combined 13-5 record and a 3.32 ERA (50 earned runs/135.2 innings) in 26 starts with St. Lucie (A) of the Florida State League and Binghamton (AA) of the Eastern League...Was 8-2 with a 2.37 ERA in 14 starts for St. Lucie and 5-3 with a 4.53 ERA in 12 games for Binghamton.