As of Friday, the New York Mets have roared to a tie for second in the National League East by winning six in a row and showing that the high preseason expectations for this team were well deserved. However, they will be running into another hot team on Saturday afternoon when they host the West's Colorado Rockies, who had won seven of ten heading into Friday, at Shea Stadium in the second of a three-game series. BetOnline.com has the New York Mets -140 odds baseball prediction favorites against the Colorado Rockies +130 odds with the over/under set at 8.5 runs.
Ubaldo Jimenez (4-8, 4.21) claimed his third win in four starts by tossing a three-hitter over seven innings in a 4-3 victory at Milwaukee. However, the 24-year-old righthander had some control problems throughout the game as he struck out seven Brewers, but he also walked five. Jimenez is now third in the National League in walks, and if he could get that part of his game down, he could have another couple of wins in his pocket. Jimenez, who is in his third major-league season, shut down the Mets in their first meeting, holding them to a run on two hits over eight innings of a 7-1 romp at home.
Pedro Martinez (3-2, 6.86) was productive with his bat as well as his arm in a wild 10-9 win over Philadelphia on the road, as he hit an RBI single to aid his cause. The 36-year-old three-time Cy Young winner also gave up a pair of runs on five hits over 5 1/3 innings, striking out six and walking three. Martinez had been hammered for 17 runs in his previous three starts, but he is still capable of being a big-game pitcher for the Mets on occasion. His last appearance against Colorado is what kicked off his poor three-game stretch as he was on the other end of that 7-1 score with Jimenez, allowing six runs on nine hits, including a pair of homers, in just 4 1/3 innings.
Heading into this series, these two had split six meetings so far this season, all played in Colorado. Between Monday and Thursday of this week, the Mets averaged just over seven runs per game, while the Rockies have averaged around the same amount. However, the New York crowd should be enough to push the Mets to yet another victory and one step closer to first place in the East.
Colorado Rockies at New York Mets – 3:55 PM ET
Free Baseball Prediction: New York Mets
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