Watch Diamondbacks Mets live streaming mlb 4/24 radio commentary espn: A combination of timely hitting and solid pitching has the New York Mets on the verge of accomplishing something they have not done in almost 11 years.
1:10 PM ET, April 24, 2011
Citi Field, New York, NY
The Mets try for a season-high fourth straight victory Sunday to sweep a home series from the Arizona Diamondbacks for the first time since 2000.
New York (8-13) has outscored Houston and Arizona 19-6 during a three-game winning streak that's followed a 2-12 stretch. Jason Bay hit his first home run and drove in three runs, while Ike Davis went deep for the third straight game and Daniel Murphy added two RBIs in Saturday's 6-4 win over Arizona.
"All of a sudden we're getting some timely hits," Bay said. "We're getting some good pitching at the back end of ballgames. There's a lot of reason to be optimistic."
The Mets, who secured their first winning series at Citi Field in 2011, have not swept the Diamondbacks in Queens since May 19-21, 2000.
New York's recent success has coincided with the return of Bay, 4 for 12 in three games since coming off the disabled list Thursday from a strained rib cage.
"He's one of the pros in the clubhouse, and there's a lot of them in there, but he brings a sense of calmness," Mets manager Terry Collins said of Bay, who didn't play after July 25 last season due to a concussion. "It's what we needed."
Davis is 8 for 21 with the three homers and two doubles over his last six games, while Murphy is batting .412 with four RBIs in his last five.
Though New York's starting pitchers have allowed four earned runs over 20 innings in the last three games, the club needs Jonathon Niese (0-3, 5.87 ERA) to get back on track as he tries to avoid losing his fourth consecutive start Sunday.
The left-hander allowed two runs and walked five in six innings of a 6-1 loss to Houston on Tuesday. In Niese's defense, he has received an average of just 1.96 runs of support this season.
Niese went 0-1 with an 8.68 ERA in two starts versus Arizona last season. The loss came when he allowed seven runs in 4 1/3 innings of a 14-1 home defeat Aug 1.
Arizona (8-11) hopes Armando Galarraga (3-0, 6.00) can match his win total from last season and help the club avoid a fourth consecutive loss after opening a six-game trip with two straight wins at Cincinnati.
"We have a game (Sunday) and we'll come after them," Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said.
Galarraga, who went 4-9 in 24 starts for Detroit in 2010, has pitched into the seventh inning just once and has allowed six homers this season. However, his teammates have scored 24 runs during his three starts.
Galarraga allowed three runs in six innings of a 5-4 win at Cincinnati on Tuesday.
"The way he finished (retiring 10 of the last 11 batters he faced) that's the best he's looked," Gibson said. "We expect him to do that."
The right-hander won his only previous start against the Mets at Citi Field on June 24, allowing four runs in six innings of a 6-5 win for the Tigers.
Justin Upton, who had two hits Saturday, is batting .368 during a nine-game hitting streak against the Mets. He is 4 for 6 with a double versus Niese.
1:10 PM ET, April 24, 2011
Citi Field, New York, NY
The Mets try for a season-high fourth straight victory Sunday to sweep a home series from the Arizona Diamondbacks for the first time since 2000.
New York (8-13) has outscored Houston and Arizona 19-6 during a three-game winning streak that's followed a 2-12 stretch. Jason Bay hit his first home run and drove in three runs, while Ike Davis went deep for the third straight game and Daniel Murphy added two RBIs in Saturday's 6-4 win over Arizona.
"All of a sudden we're getting some timely hits," Bay said. "We're getting some good pitching at the back end of ballgames. There's a lot of reason to be optimistic."
The Mets, who secured their first winning series at Citi Field in 2011, have not swept the Diamondbacks in Queens since May 19-21, 2000.
"He's one of the pros in the clubhouse, and there's a lot of them in there, but he brings a sense of calmness," Mets manager Terry Collins said of Bay, who didn't play after July 25 last season due to a concussion. "It's what we needed."
Davis is 8 for 21 with the three homers and two doubles over his last six games, while Murphy is batting .412 with four RBIs in his last five.
Though New York's starting pitchers have allowed four earned runs over 20 innings in the last three games, the club needs Jonathon Niese (0-3, 5.87 ERA) to get back on track as he tries to avoid losing his fourth consecutive start Sunday.
The left-hander allowed two runs and walked five in six innings of a 6-1 loss to Houston on Tuesday. In Niese's defense, he has received an average of just 1.96 runs of support this season.
Niese went 0-1 with an 8.68 ERA in two starts versus Arizona last season. The loss came when he allowed seven runs in 4 1/3 innings of a 14-1 home defeat Aug 1.
Arizona (8-11) hopes Armando Galarraga (3-0, 6.00) can match his win total from last season and help the club avoid a fourth consecutive loss after opening a six-game trip with two straight wins at Cincinnati.
"We have a game (Sunday) and we'll come after them," Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said.
Galarraga, who went 4-9 in 24 starts for Detroit in 2010, has pitched into the seventh inning just once and has allowed six homers this season. However, his teammates have scored 24 runs during his three starts.
Galarraga allowed three runs in six innings of a 5-4 win at Cincinnati on Tuesday.
"The way he finished (retiring 10 of the last 11 batters he faced) that's the best he's looked," Gibson said. "We expect him to do that."
The right-hander won his only previous start against the Mets at Citi Field on June 24, allowing four runs in six innings of a 6-5 win for the Tigers.
Justin Upton, who had two hits Saturday, is batting .368 during a nine-game hitting streak against the Mets. He is 4 for 6 with a double versus Niese.
