Mets (10-4) +115, o/u 7 at Padres (6-8), 10 p.m. Eastern
by Ultimatecapper.com Staff
First place in the East meets last place in the West when the New York Mets take on the San Diego Padres in the first game of a four-game set Thursday night in Southern California.
New York just dropped two of three games to Atlanta at Shea Stadium, scoring a total of six runs in the series.
San Diego has won three of its last four games after taking two of three from the Rockies in Colorado. Padre pitching has allowed just 14 runs over their last five games.
New York sits atop the National League East, three games clear of the second-place Braves.
The Padres lie in last place in the NL West, but they’re just two games behind division-leading San Francisco.
The Mets won the season series with SD last year 4-2, and the over/under went 4-2.
New York is 3-0 on the road this year, 1-0 as underdogs but 6-8 vs. the run line.
The Padres are just 1-4 at home this season, 2-3 as favorites but 8-6 vs. the run line.
Steve Trachsel (1-1, 4.09 ERA) goes to the mound Thursday for the Mets. In his last time out, Trachsel gave up four runs in five innings vs. Milwaukee Saturday.
New York is 1-1 in games Trachsel has started this year, and the o/u is 2-0. The Mets went 2-4 in Trachsel’s starts last year, the o/u 4-2.
Trachsel’s last start vs. San Diego came in 2004, when he gave up six earned runs in 6 2/3 innings pitched.
San Diego counters with Jake Peavy (1-2, 5.50 ERA) Thursday. In his last start, Peavy allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings to Atlanta Saturday.
The Padres are 1-2 in games Peavy has started this year, the o/u 1-1. Last year, SD went 19-12 in Peavy’s starts, the o/u 17-14.
Peavy made one start vs. the Mets in ’05 and got bounced around a bit, giving up seven ER and 9 baserunners (hits + walks) in 5 IP.
New York’s offense owns a .325 team OBP and is averaging 5.3 runs per game.
Padres hitters have combined for a .329 team OBP and 4.6 RPG.
Defensively, the Mets have committed 12 errors this season, San Diego just four.
The New York bullpen owns a 3.19 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP.
The Padre pen has been pretty good, too, with a 2.94 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP.
The o/u at Petco Park this season is 3-1. But games played at Petco in 2005 averaged just 7.8 runs, and 8.3 runs in 2004.
For the Mets, outfielders Carlos Beltran and Cliff Floyd are both day-to-day with injuries.
The o/u is 6-8 in New York games this season, 7-6 in San Diego games.
The Ultimatecapper Pick: We love the Padres here after the Mets had to fly from the east to the west. A little jet lag plus some good Peavy home cookin' should get'er done for the Padres tonight.
