Diamondbacks-Mets Series Preview: Salvage the Trip

May 22, 2014; New York, NY, USA; New York Mets manager

(10) steps between right fielder

(3) and home plate umpire Adrian Johnson (80) against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the sixth inning as Granderson argues being called out at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

Simply put when the Diamondbacks and pretty much every visiting team visits Busch Stadium to play the Cardinals, it normally doesn’t go well and the same can be said about the last three games. The Cardinals simply out played the Diamondbacks in the seires and you have to tip your cap to them. The pitching matchups in the seires going in weren’t in favor of  the Dbacks coming in, but the Dbacks had a chance to win two out of three, letting two two run leads get away. It also doesn’t help that 9 of the 12 runs the Cardinals scored came with two outs. The Snakes can still salvage the roadtrip when they take on the struggling Mets this weekend.

Key Storyline: The Mets have only won 5 games in May after a 15-11 start and are slowly collapsing. That means the Dbacks have to take advantage. They are without their best pitcher RHP Matt Harvey for the year, their best hitter David Wright is hitting .293 but he hasn’t found the power stroke and he doesn’t have very many extra base hits. Curtis Granderson their big offseason accquistion is hitting .206. Their best hitter so far is speedster Juan Lagares who is hitting .313 with a .352 OBP.

Game by Game:

Game 1: RHP Chase Anderson vs. RHP Bartolo Calon

Anderson is making his third career start after becoming only the second Diamondbacks starter to win his first two starts. He was impressive in his debut holding the Whitesox to one run over 5 and a third innings. But in his last time out he gave up 5 runs in 5 and a third innings against the Dodgers. Colon has been really inconsistent this season, after a great year last year. In his five losses and one no decision he has a 6.59 era. However in his three wins he has a 1.23 mark. Simply put you cant really predict what Colon will do on a given night. Colon owns a 6.35 era in 5.2 innings against Arizona.

Game 2: RHP Josh Collmenter vs. RHP Zach Wheeler

Collmenter picked up the win in his last outing giving up three runs on four hits in 5 and a third innings. Those runs came on homers by Hanley Rameriez and Adrian Gonzalez. Collmenter has been inconsistent this season.  He owns a 4.91 era against the Mets. Wheeler threw way to many fastballs in fastball counts in his latest losss and comes in with a 1-4 record and a 4.53 era. However Wheeler’s only win came against the Dbacks.

Game 3: RHP Bronson Arroyo vs. RHP Rafael Montero

Dillon Gee is still nursing a strained lat muscle, Montero will recieve at least one more start. He is 0-2 with a 6.97 era so far this year. Arroyo did not have his best stuff last time against St. Louis giving up 5 runs but Adam Wainwright also one hit the Snakes offense.

Series Prediction: I fully expect the Dbacks to salvage this trip against a Mets team that is collapsing. While I like what I have seen from Anderson, Colon is a veteran and I give the edge to him in Game 1. I expect Collmenter to pitch well and considering Wheeler hasn’t been pitching well, I give the edge to Arizona in game 2. Finally in game 3 I expect Arroyo to get back on track. The Dbacks should take at least two out of three but a sweep is possible. They should finish the trip at 2-4.