Mets vs. Pirates Preview, Lineups, And Broadcast Info: Game #153 — Jenrry Mejia vs. Kyle McPherson

Today's game notes, courtesy of @Mets.

Teams: Mets vs. Pirates
Date: Monday, September 24, 2012 • 7:10 p.m
Location: Citi Field • Flushing, NY
Starters: RHP Kyle McPherson (0-1, 2.25) vs. RHP Jenrry Mejia (0-1, 9.00)
TV/Radio: SNY • WFAN • WQBU
Info: Game #153 • Home Game #78

Lineup

Fred Lewis - RF
Daniel Murphy - 2B
David Wright - 3B
Ike Davis - 1B
Scott Hairston - CF
Lucas Duda - LF
Ruben Tejada - SS
Josh Thole - C
Jenrry Mejia - RHP

METS AT A GLANCE: The Mets have won three in a row after dropping five straight...New York has lost 11 of its last 15 games...The Mets improved to 19-20 in one-run decisions (12-10 at home) with Sunday’s 3-2 win...It was the team’s second straight one-run victory.

WALKOFF: Ruben Tejada’s two-out, bases loaded RBI single in the bottom of the ninth yesterday plated Scott Hairston with the winning run in a 3-2 triumph...It was the sixth walkoff win of the year and first since August 26 vs. Houston...New York had five walkoff wins last year and eight in 2010...It was Tejada’s second career walkoff RBI...He had a walkoff double on September 28, 2010 vs. Milwaukee.

AT HOME: The Mets are 3-3 on their current 10-game homestand and 3-9 in their last 12 home games...New York has won three straight at Citi Field for the first time since they won four consecutive contests from June 18-22...The Mets are 33-44 at home this year...New York has scored 75 runs at home in 31 home games (2.42 runs per game) in the second half after plating 188 runs at home in 46 games (4.08 runs per game).

SERIES NOTES: The Mets begin their final home series of the year tonight...New York is 19-30 in the first game of a series (9-16 at home)...The Mets are 2-8 in home series after the All-Star break...New York completed its seventh series sweep (fourth at home) of the year on Sunday, taking three straight from the Marlins.

HIT COUNTDOWN: David Wright went 1-4 with a two-run home run yesterday...He has 1,415 career hits, THREE shy of tying Ed Kranepool for the most in franchise history (1,814)...Kranepool played in 1,853 games...Wright has played in 1,253 career contests...Three active players lead their current club’s all-time hit list...The Yankees’ Derek Jeter (3,294 hits), Colorado’s Todd Helton (2,420) and Texas’ Michael Young (2,220).

HOME RUNS AT THE WRIGHT TIME: Wright’s two-run first inning home run yesterday gave the Mets a 2-0 lead...Nine of his 19 home runs this season have given the Mets a lead...It was his second home run in his last five games.

20 HOME RUNS: David Wright is one home run shy of 20...It would be his sixth season of 20 or more home runs and tie him with Mike Piazza for the second-most such seasons of 20 or more home runs in team history...Darryl Strawberry is first with eight campaigns of 20 or more home runs with the Mets.

WRIGHT RANKINGS: David Wright is ninth in the majors with a .390 on-base percentage, tied for eighth with 40 doubles and is eighth in the National League with a .304 batting average...He ranks fourth in the NL with 78 walks.

HOME RUNS AT HOME: New York has hit at least one home run in five straight games (seven overall) at Citi Field...It’s the team’s second-longest such streak this season...The Mets collected at least one home run in eight straight home games from May 28-June 15 earlier this season.

SECOND HALF HOME RUNS: Ike Davis has 16 home runs since the All-Star break, tied for the third-most in NL with Ryan Braun, Alfonso Soriano and Jay Bruce…Adam LaRoche is second with 17 while Chase Headley leads the NL with 21 second-half home runs.

PER AT-BAT: Ike Davis ranks eighth in the National League with a home run every 17.4 at-bats.

JENRRY MEJIA: Will make his fifth career major league start and his second this season...Mejia’s final major league start of 2010 came against the Pirates...He made five starts in Triple-A last year before undergoing Tommy John surgery on May 16...Is seeking his first major league win.

R.A. DICKEY: Leads the National League with a 2.66 ERA (second in the majors) and is tied for second in the majors with 19 wins, one behind Gio Gonzalez...Dickey is second the NL with 209 strikeouts...Dickey also leads the NL in complete games (five), shutouts (three) and innings pitched (220.0)...He is also tied for the major league with 25 quality starts with Milwaukee’s Yovani Gallardo...Dickey is third in the majors with a 1.04 WHIP and third in the NL with a .223 batting average against.

WINS: R.A. Dickey won his 19th game Sunday, the most by a Mets pitcher since 1990, when Frank Viola won 20 and Dwight Gooden finished with 19.

AT CITI FIELD: Dickey, who will make his final home start this Thursday afternoon vs. Pittsburgh, is 9-3 with a 2.53 ERA (33 earned runs/117.1 innings) at home this year...He ranks sixth in the National League in home ERA and opponents this year are hitting .207 against him at home, the fifth-lowest mark in the NL.

ONE OF FIVE: Dickey became the fifth pitcher in franchise history to win 19 games, throw 220.0 innings and strikeout 200 in a single season…Dickey joins Tom Seaver, who accomplished the feat five times, Dwight Gooden, twice, and Jerry Koosman and David Cone, who each did it once…Gooden was the last do to it in 1990.

STRIKEOUTS: Dickey has 209 strikeouts, the most by a Mets pitcher since David Cone had 214 in 1992.

DANIEL MURPHY: Collected his 38th double of the year yesterday...He ranks seventh in the NL in doubles...The 38 doubles ties his career-high set in 2009.

RISP TALE OF TWO HALVES: The Mets went 2-10 with runners in scoring position yesterday and are hitting .198 (100-506) with runners in scoring position since the All-Star break…In the first half, the team hit .269 (199-739) with RISP...Overall, the Mets are hitting .242 with RISP on the season, ranking 22nd in the majors...The Mets are hitting .256 with runners in scoring position and two outs, the fourth-highest average in the majors...The club hit .285 with RISP and two outs in the first half.

MEGATON: Megaton Mundial de Polito Vega concert will take place at Citi Field Sunday, September 30...Ricardo Arjona, Alejandro Sanz, Jenni Rivera, Don Omar, Wisin & Yandel, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Victor Manuelle, Anthony Santos and more are scheduled to headline the historic concert...Tickets for Megaton Mundial de Polito Vega are on sale at Tickets.com, (718) 507-TIXX and at the Citi Field Ticket Windows.

LAST START: Took the loss in the Mets’ 9-6 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on September 15 at Miller Park...Pitched 3.0 innings, allowing five runs, earned, six hits, and five walks...Did not record a strikeout...It was Mejia’s first start since September 15, 2010 vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citi Field...Established a career-high in walks with five, surpassing his previous high of two, done six times previous, most recently on September 15, 2010.

LAST APPEARANCE: Appeared in relief on September 20 vs. Philadelphia...Pitched 1.0 innings allowing three hits.

TOMMY JOHN SURGERY: Examined by Mets Medical Director David Altcheck on May 2, 2011 and found to have a complete MCL tear of the right elbow...Underwent Tommy John surgery on May 16, 2011, performed by Dr. Altcheck at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan.

LOOKING FOR FIRST WIN: Mejia has yet to pick up his first major league win in 36 career games, three starts....Has gone 0-5 through his first 36 games.

LAST MINOR LEAGUE START: Mejia’s last minor league start before being recalled by the Mets on September 4 came for the Buffalo Bisons (AAA) of the International League on September 2 at Lehigh Valley...Pitched 6.0 innings, allowing a season-high six runs, earned, a season-high 11 hits, and no walks...Struck out five.

2012 BUFFALO STARTS: Mejia started 10 games for the Buffalo Bisons (AAA) and went 2-3 with a 2.75 ERA (16 earned runs/52.1 innings pitched)...Held batters to a .245 (48-196) batting average...Struck out a season-high six in his start against Scranton-Wilkes Barre on August 22...Walked more than three batters only once in those 10 starts.

2012 BUFFALO RELIEF: Made 16 relief appearances for Buffalo (AAA)...Went 1-1 with a 5.48 ERA (13 earned runs/21.1 innings pitched)...His most recent relief appearance occured on July 24 at Louisville...Pitched 1.1 scoreless innings, allowing one hit...Opposing batters hit .303 (27-89) in those 16 appearances.

2012 BINGHAMTON: In two starts for the Binghamton Mets (AA) of the Eastern League, Mejia went 0-0 with a 5.63 ERA (five earned runs/8.0 innings pitched)...Opponents hit .344 (11- 32)...Struck out eight batters in those 8.0 innings.

2012 MINORS TOTALS: In 30 combined games, 14 starts between Binghamton (AA) and Buffalo (AAA), Mejia went 4-4 with a 3.59 ERA (37 earned runs/92.2 innings pitched)...Struck out 55.

2010 SEASON: Began the season on the Opening Day roster...At the time, Mejia was the youngest player in the majors and youngest pitcher to appear on the Mets Opening Day roster since Dwight Gooden in 1984...Put together a career-high 9.1-inning scoreless streak from April 16 - May 9, a span of nine games...Was 0-2 with a 3.25 ERA (10 earned runs/27.2 innings) in 30 relief outings and 0-2 with a 7.94 ERA (10 earned runs/11.1 innings) in three starts.

YOUNG STARTER: In 2010, at the age of 20, Mejia became the youngest Met to start a game since Dwight Gooden pitched as a 20-year old in 1985...Became the fifth Met player to start as a 20-year old and the seventh to start at 20 or younger...Along with Gooden, who made starts as a 19-year old and a 20-year old, the others who accomplished the feat were Tug McGraw (20), nine starts, 1965; Rob Garnder (20), four starts, 1965; Bill Hepler (20), four starts, 1966; Jerry Hinsley (19), two starts, 1964 and Nolan Ryan (19), one start, 1966.

SIGNED: Signed by the Mets as a non-drafted free agent on April 7, 2007.