Streaking Reds face Mets team looking to turn things around
After six straight years finishing under .500, most of the New York Mets are new to the whole idea of contending in the NL East.
While the group hasn't quite put it together on the road, as was evident on their eight-game trip, they're one of two clubs with a home winning percentage over .700.
Home success has also been key for Noah Syndergaard, who faces the visiting Cincinnati Reds on Friday night in the opener of a three-game series.
The Mets (37-37) are trying to turn things around after ending a seven-game skid with Thursday's 2-0 win in Milwaukee. They amassed 10 hits for the first time in 10 games, but they're still averaging 1.8 runs and batting .186 in that span.
Curtis Granderson is 8 for 18 over five games, but Michael Cuddyer (5 for 35) and Lucas Duda (4 for 29) are slumping. Even so, Cuddyer was upbeat about salvaging a win after dropping the first seven on the trip.
"There's definitely some relief, there's no question about that," he told MLB's official website. "I think for everyone involved, there's definitely some relief. A big, collective deep breath. Hopefully, we can continue and play well tomorrow."
New York hasn't been bad on the mound in the same 10-game stretch, though its 3.60 ERA is twice its run production.
Syndergaard (2-4, 4.03 ERA) has been well north of that lately, going 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA in four June starts after posting a 1.82 mark over his first four in the majors.
The right-hander gave up four runs - three earned - and six hits in four innings of Saturday's 6-4 loss in Atlanta but wasn't stuck with the decision. He's been much better at home, going 2-1 with a 2.13 ERA and .226 opponent batting average in four starts as opposed to 0-3 with 6.52 and .333 marks in four away.
The Mets are right there with him, going 26-11 with 4.3 runs per game at home and 11-26 with a 2.8 scoring average on the road.
New York has taken six of eight against the Reds (34-37), who left Pittsburgh on Thursday after a 5-4 victory in 13 innings secured their first win in seven road series.
Cincinnati has won six of eight with the lineup batting .302. Todd Frazier was 3 for 6 with a home run and three RBIs, and he's batting .324 with six homers and 13 RBIs on the eight-game hot stretch.
Brandon Phillips was a double shy of the cycle after sitting Wednesday because of a thumb injury. The second baseman has hit safely in all 29 road games he's played against the Mets while batting .350.
He'll be looking to help Johnny Cueto, who's gone 2-3 with a 4.01 ERA and .249 OBA in seven road starts opposed to 2-1 with 1.74 and .161 marks in six at home.
The right-hander enters this start having received some extra rest to deal with elbow stiffness. Cueto (4-4, 2.98) last pitched June 17 in an 8-4 home win over Detroit, yielding three runs and three hits in 5 1-3 innings without factoring into the decision.
"Everything is on schedule. I'm hoping that there is some noticeable difference when he gets to his pregame," manager Bryan Price told MLB's official website.
"When he's in competition, there really haven't been any issues with fatigue and getting loose. More than anything, it's been the time in between his outings. We're trying to get him back to feeling normal in between starts."
In five career starts in Queens, Cueto is 2-2 with a 5.02 ERA.
