Koehler Takes Mound To Open Mets Series
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NEW YORK (CBSMiami) - Not much has gone right for the New York Mets over that past three weeks, including on the weather front.
After rain wiped out the finale of a seven-game road trip in Atlanta on Thursday, the Mets return home Friday to open a three-game series against the Miami Marlins, who have won five of seven meetings between the teams this season.
New York pounded out 30 runs in the three games at Atlanta, including a season-high 16 on Wednesday, and was holding a 3-1 lead Thursday when the game was postponed following a two-hour rain delay. Friday was the scheduled start for ace Noah Syndergaard, who is expected to be sidelined for at least three months with a torn lat muscle.
The Marlins have dropped seven of nine overall after losing three of four to Tampa Bay in the Citrus Series, scoring a combined four runs in the three defeats. Miami's Tom Koehler faces the Mets for the first time this season Friday after struggling mightily against them in 2016, going 0-3 with seven home runs and 29 hits allowed in 19 2/3 innings.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Marlins righthander Tom Koehler lasted only four innings for the second time in three starts, giving up three runs on six hits in a no-decision versus Pittsburgh last time out. He posted his only win at San Diego in his previous turn with six innings of three-run ball but has surrendered seven homers in his five starts. Asdrubal Cabrera is 6-for-13 with a pair of home runs off Koehler.
Mets righthander Rafael Montero draws the unenviable task of trying to replace Syndergaard following his recall from Triple-A Las Vegas earlier in the week. Montero was hit hard in the last of his six relief appearances before his demotion to the minors, giving up four runs on four hits in one-third of an inning. He had a 1.74 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings at Las Vegas.
WALK-OFFS
1. Thursday's postponement cost Mets RF Jay Bruce a two-run homer, which would have been his 10th of the season.
2. Marlins LF Marcell Ozuna is 9-for-22 during a six-game hitting streak.
3. Mets 3B Jose Reyes, who has multiple hits in four of his last seven games, is 5-for-10 against Koehler.
PREDICTION: Marlins 7, Mets 5
By Gracenote
