The New York Mets target their second three-game winning streak in the last 10 days when they continue a four-game series against the San Diego Padres Saturday from Petco Park.
The Mets won the opener of this set by a 4-1 score to halt a three-game slide, then registered a 5-2 win Friday night thanks to home runs by Daniel Murphy, Marlon Byrd and Ike Davis.
Anthony Recker had three hits and a run scored for New York, which is 4-4 on an 11-game road trip and has won seven of 11 games overall. Jon Niese earned the win by striking out nine batters over six innings of one-run ball and LaTroy Hawkins nailed down his fourth save in a scoreless ninth.
The Mets have scored the game's first run in 10 of their last 11 contests.
New York catching prospect Travis d'Arnaud is set to make his major league debut Saturday and will take the roster spot of starting catcher John Buck, who flew to New York on Friday for the birth of his third child.
"We're all excited to see Travis," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "Like a lot of these guys, there's a huge buildup taking place. Some of the reports are pretty impressive, and you hear about them, so I'm pretty excited to see him play."
d'Arnaud batted .304 with two homers and 12 RBI in 19 games (56 at-bats) with Triple-A Las Vegas. He will be the battery mate to Jenrry Mejia, who will take the mound against the Padres and is 1-2 with a 2.22 ERA in four starts. Mejia lost at Los Angeles on Monday in a 4-2 setback and gave up three runs -- two earned -- in six innings.
Mejia has no record or ERA in two relief appearances against the Padres, spanning just two innings of work. The right-hander is 1-2 in three road assignments this season.
The Padres are 0-2 on so far their 10-game homestand, have dropped four straight at Petco Park and lost for the eighth time in 10 tries Friday.
Will Venable hit a solo homer and Yonder Alonso added an RBI, while starter Ian Kennedy was tagged for five runs on seven hits and four walks with seven K's over 4 2/3 innings. Kennedy is 1-1 over three starts since being dealt to San Diego and has dropped six of his last seven decisions overall.
"His stuff was good as evidenced by the seven strikeouts," Padres manager Bud Black said of Kennedy.
Black will hand the ball to Edinson Volquez Saturday night and he has lost two straight starts. Volquez fell to 2-4 in his previous six decisions in Monday's 14-2 loss at Colorado and was served for eight runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings to fall to 8-10 in 25 starts with a 5.80 ERA.
Volquez is 3-7 in 12 starts at Petco Park this season and lost to the Mets on April 1, when he lasted just three innings and gave up six runs in an 11-2 loss. The right-hander is winless (0-5) in six career starts against the Mets and has a 7.76 ERA in that span.
New York took two of three matchups with San Diego from April 1-3 at Citi Field.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.