New York @ Houston preview
Minute Maid Park
Last Meeting ( Mar 24, 2010 ) Houston 2, NY Mets 5
Keeping your opponent off the scoreboard is a guaranteed recipe for victory. Unfortunately for the New York Mets of late, it's been the only way they've been able to get in the win column due to an anemic offense.
The Mets begin a seven-game road trip on Monday when they take on the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park in the opener of a four-game series.
New York is fresh off a 3-3 homestand in which all three victories were shutouts, including two by scores of 1-0. The Mets scored a total of nine runs in the six games.
In each of its last four victories, New York has blanked its opponent. But in three of those wins, the Mets have managed to cross the plate just once themselves.
New York, which has lost two in a row, scored a total of two runs in its three-game series with the Philadelphia Phillies. On Sunday, Jose Reyes' solo home run was all the offense the Mets could muster as Kyle Kendrick combined with three relievers on a six-hitter in the Phillies' 3-1 triumph.
Jonathon Niese will be hoping to get some support on Monday when he makes his second career start against Houston.
The Mets' lack of offense has been a big reason why Niese is just 1-3 over his last seven outings. In those seven starts, the 23-year-old has allowed three earned runs or less six times, while New York has scored a total of two runs in his three losses.
Niese has yielded one earned run or fewer in three of his last four starts and five of eight. On Wednesday, the left-hander gave up one run and five hits over seven innings but did not figure in the decision of a 6-2 loss to the Colorado Rockies.
In nine outings on the road this season, Niese is 3-2 with a 3.57 ERA. His only career outing against the Astros came here on July 25, 2009, when he allowed one run and four hits in seven innings en route to a 10-3 victory.
Houston completed a three-game sweep of Pittsburgh on Sunday as Hunter Pence and Chris Johnson each recorded three hits and an RBI in the 8-2 victory. Pence scored three runs and Johnson two as the Astros finished with a 9-0 record against the Pirates at home.
Houston has won nine of its 11 games at Minute Maid Park and is 4-2 on its 10-game homestand. The Astros try to continue their home success behind Wandy Rodriguez, who has been brilliant since late June.
Rodriguez has gone 6-1 with a 1.79 ERA over his last nine starts, allowing just one earned run or less in each of his last four outings and seven overall during that stretch. He yielded two runs - one earned - and five hits in seven innings against Atlanta on Wednesday but settled for a no-decision in an 8-2 loss.
In five career starts against New York, Rodriguez is 2-2 with a 3.68 ERA. The 31-year-old southpaw has lost each of his last two outings vs. the Mets.
Rodriguez has posted a 6-5 record with a 3.00 ERA in 12 starts at home this year.