Dateline: Cincinnati
Resurgent All-Star left hander Andrew Abbott is given the ball with one instruction beat the New York Mets and secure a sweep.
Why is this important?
Last season the Mets and Reds had the exact same record at the end of the season. They were tied for the last playoff spot. The Reds owned the tiebreaker and went to the playoffs. The Mets went home.
Manager Terry Francona in reality doesn’t think in these terms because a win over any team at any time could have the same consequences at the end of the season. Francona wants this game merely because it is the next on the schedule.
Abbott takes his 4-2 record and 3.97 ERA to face the Mets. The Mets try to avoid the streak with Huascar Brazobon, a reliever making his third start. He is 3-1 with a 1.73 ERA. He made 19 relief appearances and in his previous two starts he pitchers total of 2 1-3 innings.
The Mets are shy a starter and struggling to fill its rotation. The Mets used former starter Sean Manaea for three innings on Tuesday. He will be unavailable on Wednesday. AJ Minter pitched a scoreless innings in a feel-good story coming back from recovering from surgery that pulled a muscle completely off a bone.
Unless the Mets make a roster move. they have just one lefthander available, former Red, Brooks Ramey. They also have former Red Luke Weaver and an old nemesis from Milwaukee, Devin Williams.
Brazobon has made seven appearances against the Reds all in relief in his career. He has pitched 8 1/3 scoreless innings on five hits.
Abbott has recovered from a poor spring training and start of the season.
In five starts since he gave up four runs in four innings against the Colorado Rockies on April 30, Abbott has two quality starts of six innings. He has allowed five runs, four earned in 28 innings, an ERA of 1.29.
In his last start against the Philadelphia Phillies, Abbott pitched 5 1/3 innings and gave up one run on three hits and three walks, while winning his third decision tin his last three starts.
Lifetime against the Mets, Abbott is 0-2 in four starts with a 5.12 ERA.
His last start against them was on September 5 last year. He gave up five runs on nine hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Lineups Reds
Blake Dunn RF
Elly De La Cruz SS
JJ Bleday LF
Sal Stewart 3B
Eugenio Suarez DH
Nathaniel Lowe 1B
Spencer Steer 2B
Tyler Stephenson C
TJ Friedl CF
Mets Lineup
Carson Benge RF
Bo Bichette SS
Juan Soto LF
Mark Vientos 1B
Marcus Semien 2B
AJ Ewing CF
Eric Wagaman DH
Brett Baty 3B
Luis Torrens C
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