Watch Houston Astros vs New York Mets mlb live streaming online coverage major league baseball audio video feed radio commentary espn 360 gamecast 19 april 2011. Game Review: A new lineup and an impressive spot start helped the last-place New York Mets end their longest losing streak in nearly seven years the last time they took the field.
After ending their seven-game slide, the Mets try to avoid extending their longest drought at Citi Field to six in Tuesday night's series opener with the Houston Astros.
New York's starting staff had a major league-worst 6.29 ERA through 15 games, and combined with an offense that averaged 3.4 runs April 10-16, it was easy to see why Terry Collins' club had lost seven straight.
The Mets (5-11) could only muster two runs in dropping a doubleheader Saturday in Atlanta, but they matched that in the first inning Sunday.
7:10 PM ET, April 19, 2011
Citi Field, New York, NY
Pitching Matchup
Houston v New York
Wandy Rodriguez
0-2, 7.31 ERA
Last appearance:
4/13 vs CHC
5.0 IP, 5 ER
Dec = Loss
Jonathon Niese
0-2, 6.88 ERA
Last appearance:
4/13 vs COL
6.0 IP, 5 ER
Dec = Loss
Lineups
NO. Houston New York
1. M. Bourn, CF J. Reyes, SS
2. A. Sanchez, SS J. Thole, C
3. H. Pence, RF D. Wright, 3B
4. C. Lee, LF C. Beltran, RF
5. C. Johnson, 3B I. Davis, 1B
6. B. Hall, 2B A. Pagan, CF
7. B. Wallace, 1B S. Hairston, LF
8. J. Towles, C J. Turner, 2B
9. W. Rodriguez, P J. Niese, P
Catcher Josh Thole, moved up to the second spot while struggling Angel Pagan dropped to sixth, singled in Jose Reyes and scored in the first, then drove in Reyes again in the fifth.
Combined with 5 2/3 strong innings from emergency starter Dillon Gee, New York won 3-2 to snap its longest slide since losing 11 straight Aug. 28-Sept. 8, 2004.
Collins called the victory "our biggest win so far."
"Hopefully, the guys will be able to take a deep breath," Collins told the Mets' official website. "We've got to get ourselves on a roll."
Facing the NL Central cellar-dwelling Astros (5-11) could help, but New York is 1-6 at home, where it's lost five straight for its longest skid since dropping eight in a row Sept. 14-28, 2007, at Shea Stadium.
Three of its past four games at Citi Field have been one-run losses, including the last time Jonathon Niese (0-2, 6.88 ERA) took the hill.
The Mets gave Niese leads of 2-0 and 3-1 Wednesday against Colorado, but the left-hander surrendered a three-run homer in the fifth and a solo shot in the sixth in a 5-4 loss.
Niese has allowed 11 runs in 10 innings over his last two starts, but perhaps a matchup with the Astros is what he needs to bounce back. He's 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in two starts versus Houston, and he's held Hunter Pence and Carlos Lee to one hit in 11 total at-bats.
Pence and Lee went a combined 4 for 8 with three RBIs on Sunday, but Houston's defense and bullpen let a 6-3 lead slip away. Three Astros errors helped San Diego score once in the seventh and four times in the eighth in an 8-6 loss.
After finishing a 4-6 homestand, Houston plays six straight on the road -- where it's 1-5.
"Usually, when you go on the road, you want to try to finish around .500," second baseman Bill Hall told the team's official website. "With the way we've played so far, we definitely need to get on a win streak and hopefully win four or five or six games this road trip."
To win Tuesday, they'll likely need Wandy Rodriguez (0-2, 7.31) to pitch better. The lefty has sandwiched two rough outings around one quality start, though his problem Wednesday against Chicago was one big inning.
Rodriguez surrendered five first-inning runs before throwing four scoreless frames, but the damage was done in a 9-5 loss.
One thing that might help is not having to face Jason Bay, whose return from a strained left rib cage has been pushed to Thursday.
That's excellent news for Rodriguez, considering Bay is 10 for 22 with six extra-base hits in their matchups. Carlos Beltran and David Wright, though, are both 6 for 16 (.375) against Rodriguez, who's 2-2 with a 3.22 ERA in six starts versus the Mets.
AstrosThey're hoping a visit from another division bottom feeder can help them snap another skid.
(5-11, 1-5 away)
Mets
(5-11, 1-6 home)
After ending their seven-game slide, the Mets try to avoid extending their longest drought at Citi Field to six in Tuesday night's series opener with the Houston Astros.
New York's starting staff had a major league-worst 6.29 ERA through 15 games, and combined with an offense that averaged 3.4 runs April 10-16, it was easy to see why Terry Collins' club had lost seven straight.
The Mets (5-11) could only muster two runs in dropping a doubleheader Saturday in Atlanta, but they matched that in the first inning Sunday.
7:10 PM ET, April 19, 2011
Citi Field, New York, NY
Houston v New York
Wandy Rodriguez
0-2, 7.31 ERA
Last appearance:
4/13 vs CHC
5.0 IP, 5 ER
Dec = Loss
Jonathon Niese
0-2, 6.88 ERA
Last appearance:
4/13 vs COL
6.0 IP, 5 ER
Dec = Loss
Lineups
NO. Houston New York
1. M. Bourn, CF J. Reyes, SS
2. A. Sanchez, SS J. Thole, C
3. H. Pence, RF D. Wright, 3B
4. C. Lee, LF C. Beltran, RF
5. C. Johnson, 3B I. Davis, 1B
6. B. Hall, 2B A. Pagan, CF
7. B. Wallace, 1B S. Hairston, LF
8. J. Towles, C J. Turner, 2B
9. W. Rodriguez, P J. Niese, P
Catcher Josh Thole, moved up to the second spot while struggling Angel Pagan dropped to sixth, singled in Jose Reyes and scored in the first, then drove in Reyes again in the fifth.
Combined with 5 2/3 strong innings from emergency starter Dillon Gee, New York won 3-2 to snap its longest slide since losing 11 straight Aug. 28-Sept. 8, 2004.
Collins called the victory "our biggest win so far."
"Hopefully, the guys will be able to take a deep breath," Collins told the Mets' official website. "We've got to get ourselves on a roll."
Facing the NL Central cellar-dwelling Astros (5-11) could help, but New York is 1-6 at home, where it's lost five straight for its longest skid since dropping eight in a row Sept. 14-28, 2007, at Shea Stadium.
Three of its past four games at Citi Field have been one-run losses, including the last time Jonathon Niese (0-2, 6.88 ERA) took the hill.
The Mets gave Niese leads of 2-0 and 3-1 Wednesday against Colorado, but the left-hander surrendered a three-run homer in the fifth and a solo shot in the sixth in a 5-4 loss.
Niese has allowed 11 runs in 10 innings over his last two starts, but perhaps a matchup with the Astros is what he needs to bounce back. He's 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in two starts versus Houston, and he's held Hunter Pence and Carlos Lee to one hit in 11 total at-bats.
Pence and Lee went a combined 4 for 8 with three RBIs on Sunday, but Houston's defense and bullpen let a 6-3 lead slip away. Three Astros errors helped San Diego score once in the seventh and four times in the eighth in an 8-6 loss.
After finishing a 4-6 homestand, Houston plays six straight on the road -- where it's 1-5.
"Usually, when you go on the road, you want to try to finish around .500," second baseman Bill Hall told the team's official website. "With the way we've played so far, we definitely need to get on a win streak and hopefully win four or five or six games this road trip."
To win Tuesday, they'll likely need Wandy Rodriguez (0-2, 7.31) to pitch better. The lefty has sandwiched two rough outings around one quality start, though his problem Wednesday against Chicago was one big inning.
Rodriguez surrendered five first-inning runs before throwing four scoreless frames, but the damage was done in a 9-5 loss.
One thing that might help is not having to face Jason Bay, whose return from a strained left rib cage has been pushed to Thursday.
That's excellent news for Rodriguez, considering Bay is 10 for 22 with six extra-base hits in their matchups. Carlos Beltran and David Wright, though, are both 6 for 16 (.375) against Rodriguez, who's 2-2 with a 3.22 ERA in six starts versus the Mets.
