Mets vs. Braves Preview: Game #113 — Matt Harvey vs. Paul Maholm

Today's game notes, courtesy of @Mets.

Teams: Mets vs. Braves
Date: Friday, August 10, 2012 • 7:10 p.m
Location: Citi Field • Flushing, NY
Starters: LHP Paul Maholm (9-7, 3.75) vs. RHP Matt Harvey (1-2, 3.86)
TV/Radio: SNY • WFAN • WQBU
Info: Game #113 • Home Game #56

Lineup

Andres Torres - CF
Ruben Tejada - SS
David Wright - 3B
Scott Hairston - RF
Daniel Murphy - 1B
Ronny Cedeno - 2B
Jason Bay - LF
Rob Johnson - C
Matt Harvey - RHP

METS AT A GLANCE: The Mets snapped their three-game losing streak and their nine-game home losing streak with yesterday’s 6-1 win over Miami...It was the club’s first win at home since beating the Cubs 3-1 on July 7...New York is 5-5 in its last 10 games...The Mets are 8-18 since the All-Star break...The Mets began the year 13-5 against the National League East but is 7-17 over its last 24 games vs. the division.

AT HOME: The Mets are 27-28 at home this year...Daniel Murphy ranks fourth in the majors with a .358 batting average at home...The Mets are 15-21 in the first game of a series, including 8-10 at home.

MATT HARVEY: Will make his first home start tonight...Harvey has 23 strikeouts over his first three major league starts, the most in franchise history...Tom Seaver (1967) and Bill Denehy (1967) each had 18 strikeouts over their first three major league starts...Research courtesy of the Elias Sports Bureau.

RUBEN TEJADA: Extended his career-best hitting streak to 14 games yesterday, going 2-5...Tejada is batting .365 (23-63) during this current stretch...He is one shy from the team season-high...David Wright had a 15-game hitting streak from June 9-25 earlier this year...Tejada’s .324 batting average is the highest among all major league shortstops (min. 260 at-bats)...Tejada also has the highest on-base percentage (.371).

TEJADA WITH 2 STRIKES: Ruben Tejada is 7-for-his-last-15 with three walks in his past 18 plate appearances in which he’s had a two-strike count...Tejada’s two-strike on-base percentage this season is .342, the eighth-best in the majors.

ANDRES TORRES: Finished a single short of the cycle yesterday and had a season-high three RBI...Torres is hitting .400 (12-30) with 15 RBI with runners in scoring position and two outs.

SCOTT HAIRSTON: Is batting .306 (19-62) with 11 runs scored, six doubles, two home runs and 11 RBI in his last 22 games dating back to July 13...Hairston has nine home runs vs. left-handed pitching this year, tied for the eighth-most in the majors.

DAVID WRIGHT: Ranks third in the majors with a .419 on-base percentage, seventh with a .327 batting average and is tied for seventh with 33 doubles...Wright is tied for sixth in the National League with 73 RBI and is eighth with 68 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 two RBI shy of 800 for his career.

RISP: The Mets went 4-13 with runners in scoring position last night and are 10-53 (.189) over their last six games...The Mets are hitting .260 with RISP on the season, ranking 11th in the majors ...The Mets are hitting .277 with runners in scoring position and two outs, the second-highest average in the majors.

TWO-OUTS: The Mets have scored 18 of their last 24 runs with two outs...New York leads the majors with 225 two-out runs this year...New York is hitting .269 with two outs, the third-highest average in the majors ...New York’s pitching staff has surrendered 205 runs with two outs, the fourth-most in the majors.

DOUBLE PLAYS: The Mets turned two double plays yesterday and have turned six double plays in their last five games...New York hit into three double plays on Thursday and have grounded into six double plays in their last six games.

STARTERS/RELIEVERS: Mets starters rank eighth in the majors with a 3.86 ERA...New York’s bullpen has the worst ERA (4.97) in the majors. R.A. DICKEY: Is tied for the major league lead with the Angels’ Jered Weaver with 15 wins, is also tied for the major league lead in strikeouts (166) with Detroit’s Justin Verlander and is 10th in the majors with a 2.72 ERA.

10 K AND ZERO WALKS: Yesterday was R.A. Dickey’s third game this year where he notched double digit strikeouts and did not issue a walk which is tied for the franchise record with Tom Seaver (1971) and Jon Matlack (1974)...Since 2008 the only major league pitcher with three such games in one season was Felix Hernandez in 2011 with Seattle...Among the more famous knuckleballers in recent history, Charlie Hough, Tim Wakefield and Hoyt Wilhlem never had a 10-strikeout, no-walk game...The Niekro brothers each did it once and Tom Candiotti did it three times...Research courtesy of the Elias Sports Bureau.

COMPLETE GAMES: Dickey leads the National League with four complete games...His four complete games are tied for the most in a single season by a Mets pitcher since 1993, when Dwight Gooden tossed seven...Johan Santana (2010), Pedro Martinez (2005), Al Leiter (1998) and Bret Saberhagen (1994) also finished with four.

STRIKEOUTS: Dickey posted his sixth double-digit strikeout game, the most by a Mets pitcher in a single-season since David Cone recorded eight such games in 1992...Dickey’s six double-digit strikeout games are tied for the most in the majors with Texas’ Yu Darvish.

PRE-GAME CEREMONY: Before tonight’s game, R.A. Dickey will be presented with his Pitcher of the Month Award for June...He went 5-0 in six June starts, leading the majors for the month in ERA (0.93), innings pitched (48.1) and strikeouts (55)...Dickey tossed consecutive one-hitters on June 13 at Tampa Bay and June 18 vs. Baltimore, becoming the first major leaguer to do so since Dave Steib in 1988.

JOSH EDGIN: Has not allowed a run in his last 10.0 innings dating back to July 18...The 10.0 scoreless frames equals the season-high from a Mets reliever this season.

NYPL ALL-STARS: RHP Luis Mateo, RHP Gabriel Ynoa, RHP Hansel Robles and LHP John Mincone will represent Brooklyn in the 2012 New York-Penn League All-Star team...The game will be played August 14.

FEEDING THE BIG APPLE: Before every Friday home game at Citi Field throughout the 2012 season, fans can participate in "Feeding the Big Apple" by dropping off food donations at the City Harvest or Island Harvest truck next to the Home Run Apple on Mets Plaza outside the Jackie Robinson Rotunda.

POSTGAME CONCERT: The Mets postgame concert series will continue when MercyMe performs following tonight’s game...The concert is presented by Duane Reade and Just for Men.

LAST START: Took the loss in the Mets’ 7-3 loss to the San Diego Padres on August 5...Pitched 5.0 innings and allowed five runs, earned, eight hits and a walk...Struck out five. FirSt home Start: Harvey is making his Citi Field debut tonight after making his first three major league starts on the road.

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 his major league debut...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, the 23-year old 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 fanned 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 the 10 are righties.

2012 ALL-STAR: Named MiLB.com Top Star honors in the 2012 Triple-AAll-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.