The Mets will try to stretch winning to two days straight tonight as they try to take the rubber game in the series. Words cannot express how much taking this series could mean to the Mets. They would be beating the best team in the NL East right now and could create that magic m word (being momentum of course). The Mets will be sending Perez up to the mound to take on Olsen for the Marlins.
Olsen this season has a 4-2 record over 10 games and 64.0 innings. He has posted a nice (if you like the Marlins) 3.38 ERA over that period of time. In 2007, he started four games against the Mets (22.0 IP) and recorded a 1-2 record posting a 4.09 ERA, walking 8 and striking out 15. In 2006, he started four games against the Mets (26.0 IP) and recorded no decisions. Over that stretch he posted a 3.81 ERA with 8 walks and 24 K's. He has the power to strike out this Mets team but this Mets team at the same time has the ability to beat him. Here are some Mets numbers against him:
Reyes 9-19, 2 2B, 3B
Beltran 7-17, 2B, 2 HR
Wright 5-18, 2B, 2 HR
Beltran has good numbers against Olsen, which is good because he has had some bad numbers over the past five games. In the past five games he has gone 4-21, 2B, R, 3 RBI, 2 BB and all of that translates into a .190 BA. It would be nice to see him get some hits in tonight and lead this team to a series win.
The Mets will turn to Perez tonight to lend a hand in getting a victory. He has pitched a good game against the Marlins this year going 6 innings, allowing no runs, walking one and striking out 8. That game was the Mets first blow out this season (13-0) and was the third game of the season. In his last three starts he has gone 2-0, pitched 18.2 innings, has a 4.34 ERA, 14 BB and struck out 14. If you take away his last start, that line becomes 2-0, 13.2 IP, 5 ER, 6 BB, 12 K and a 3.29 ERA. So the Mets would really like him to pitch like that tonight and not like his last start. In 2007, he pitched four games against the Marlins getting a 2-1 record, 22.1 innings pitched and posted a 4.84 ERA. Here are some Marlin starts against Perez:
Ramierez 6-22, 2B, HR
Gonzalez 4-18, 2 2B
Uggla 5-16, 2 2B
Jacobs 1-9
Uggla can be dangerous, and Santana had control of him last night, not allowing him to perform in situations with RISP and 2-outs. Perez needs to be able to do that tonight and he can help put this team in a position to win.
Lets Go Mets!
