Philadelphia @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 27, 2015 ) NY Mets 9, Philadelphia 5

If the New York Mets are able to capture the National League East for the first time since 2006 this season, they will undoubtedly point to their ability to win at home and dominate the Philadelphia Phillies as two of the main reasons why. The Mets will attempt to notch their 10th straight victory over the Phillies on Monday when the division rivals kick off a three-game set in New York.

The Mets, who ended a five-game home skid with a 5-4 win over Boston, improved to 43-23 at Citi Field on Sunday to maintain a 5 ½-game edge on Washington in their division. However, that mark pales in comparison to what New York has done against Philadelphia this season, outscoring the Phillies 83-43 while taking 12 of the 13 meetings – including all six at home. The Phillies (52-79) took two of three from San Diego over the weekend after dropping four straight to the Mets to begin their seven-game homestand in the previous series and are tied with division rival Miami for the worst record in majors. Jerad Eickhoff will get the task of trying to reverse Philadelphia’s fortunes against New York in his third career turn while the Mets’ Bartolo Colon will look to win his fourth game in as many tries against the Phillies this season.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, SNY (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Jerad Eickhoff (1-1, 2.25 ERA) vs. Mets RH Bartolo Colon (11-11, 4.68)
Eickhoff will get his second shot at the Mets in less than a week after allowing four runs (three earned) over six innings in a home loss to them on Wednesday. The 25-year-old Indiana native won his first big-league outing five days earlier, yielding five hits in six scoreless frames of a 7-1 victory at Miami. Eickhoff, who has only given up five hits in 30 at-bats against right-handed hitters, went 12-5 with a 3.85 ERA in three different minor-league stops before his promotion.
Colon made his first relief appearance since 2011 on Saturday to help out an overworked bullpen, but will take his regular-scheduled turn five days after holding the Phillies scoreless over seven innings on Wednesday. The 42-year-old three-time All-Star is 6-1 in seven turns against the Phillies since joining the Mets at the beginning of last season. Ryan Howard (5-for-22) has homered twice against Colon, who is 7-3 with a 3.81 ERA in 12 career starts versus Philadelphia.

WALK-OFFS
1. New York acquired RHP Addison Reed from Arizona in exchange for two minor-league pitchers on Sunday and expects to activate him prior to Monday’s game.
2. The Phillies claimed LHP Ken Roberts off waivers from Colorado on Sunday. 3. Mets 1B/OF Michael Cuddyer, who went 3-for-3 with a tiebreaking RBI single in Sunday’s win, is 19-for-38 with four homers and 12 RBIs in games against Philadelphia this season.

PREDICTION: Mets 7, Phillies 3