(SportsNetwork.com) - The New York Mets are in the midst of their first crisis of the season. Hopefully a visit from the lowly Milwaukee Brewers will get them back on track.
The Mets try to put the brakes on a four-game losing streak on Friday when they welcome the Brewers to Citi Field for the start of a three-game set.
New York looked awful this past week in Chicago, as it was swept in a four- gamer at Wrigley Field for the first time in 23 years, culminating with a 6-5 loss on Thursday.
Anthony Recker had the first multi-home run game of his career, but it was his passed ball that allowed Dexter Fowler score what proved to be the decisive run. Shortstop Wilmer Flores also had a big error that led to a Cubs run.
"We got to make the play," said Mets manager Terry Collins. "In any game, you got to make plays, and we didn't make it."
The Mets are now 5-10 since opening the year 15-5.
Now they'll turn to veteran right-hander Bartolo Colon, who will try to become the league's first seven-game winner, while trying to close in on the team record for most consecutive innings without a walk.
Colon improved to 6-1 on Sunday in Philadelphia, as he allowed four runs and eight hits in six innings. He also extended his streak of innings without a walk to 40 1/3, leaving him 7 1/3 shy of matching Bret Saberhagen's franchise record from 1994.
He hasn't walked a batter since his first start back on April 6 against the Nationals.
Colon is 3-1 with a 3.97 ERA in six career starts against the Brewers.
Milwaukee, meanwhile, will counter with a veteran righty of its own in Kyle Lohse, who has struggled, going 2-4 with a 7.03 ERA. Lohse, though, earned a win his last time out against the Chicago Cubs, as he allowed four runs and seven hits in five innings.
Lohse has faced the Mets 11 times and is 2-4 against them with a 4.68 ERA.
Milwaukee lost the final two games of its three-game affair with the Chicago White Sox, falling 4-2 in Wednesday's rubber match at Miller Park.
Jimmy Nelson (1-4) gave up three runs in the first and was tagged with the loss after yielding four runs on eight hits over 6 2/3 innings.
"He pitched into the seventh inning. It was the first inning again. Just kind of getting on track and getting into the rhythm," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said of Nelson's outing.
Milwaukee won four of its seven meetings with the Mets a year ago. The Brewers have also won 12 of their last 15 in Flushing.
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