9/5/18 Game Preview: New York Mets at Los Angeles Dodgers

After a solid string of starts for the New York Mets (62-76), Jason Vargas crashed back to earth last night. Vargas couldn’t get out of the fourth inning of what became an 11-4 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers (76-63), who proceeded to pummel the Mets’ bullpen after Vargas’ departure. The two teams have now split the first two games of the three game set and will look to secure the rubber game this afternoon. First pitch for today’s game is scheduled for 7:35 pm at Dodger Stadium.

The Mets will send right hander Zack Wheeler (9-7, 3.37 ERA) to the mound today. Wheeler pitched well again in his last start, allowing one run in seven innings against the San Francisco Giants last Friday, but got stuck with a loss when the Mets were shut out in a 7-0 loss. The Dodgers will counter with lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu (4-1, 2.24 ERA), the third consecutive southpaw the Mets have seen in this series. Ryu was also strong in his last start, giving up two runs in seven innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks last Friday, but did not factor in the decision of a game the Dodgers went on to win 3-2.

Local Coverage:

Television: SNY

Radio: WOR

New York Mets Lineup:

1. SS Amed Rosario
2. 2B Jeff McNeil
3. 1B Wilmer Flores
4. 3B Todd Frazier
5. LF Michael Conforto
6. CF Austin Jackson
7. C Kevin Plawecki
8. RF Brandon Nimmo
9. SP Zack Wheeler

Pre-Game Notes:

• Wheeler faced the Dodgers back in New York on June 22nd, giving up four runs in seven innings to suffer his sixth loss of the year.
• Ryu is 3-0 with a 1.69 ERA in five career starts against the Mets.
• After sitting out yesterday, Jeff McNeil is back in the Mets’ lineup. McNeil will bat second and play second base.
• Jay Bruce will get the night off tonight. Brandon Nimmo will start again in right field and bat eighth.
• Dodgers’ first baseman Cody Bellinger is 3 for 5 with three home runs and eight RBI’s in his brief career against Wheeler.
• Jay Bruce is 3 for 8 with a pair of home runs in his career against Ryu.
• This is the final game of the season series between the Mets and Dodgers. The Dodgers have already won the series, leading four games to one entering play today.
• This is the final game of the Mets’ nine game road trip. The Mets are 4-4 so far on the trip.