(Sports Network) – With five wins in their last six games, the Mets have been playing good baseball of late, and Chris Capuano is one of the reasons New York is three games over .500.
The 32-year-old left-hander gets back on the mound tonight when the Mets continue their weekend series against the Giants. Capuano is just 1-4 with a 5.31 ERA against the Giants and hasn’t won in three decisions (6.11 ERA) at AT&T Park. But maybe his recent stretch will turn fate into fortune.
Capuano has won three consecutive starts and five of his last six outings. Most recently, he threw six innings in a 5-2 road victory over the Dodgers on Monday.
Countering on the hill for the Giants will be Tim Lincecum, who is going in the opposite direction of Capuano. He’s 1-3 over his last seven appearances, but has received little run support. San Francisco has put up three runs or less in each of his last five outings.
Lincecum limited the Padres to three runs over five innings in a 5-3 loss on Monday. The righty, who has compiled 25 strikeouts over his last three starts, is 2-1 with a 3.07 ERA in six starts against the Mets.
On Friday, Scott Hairston hit a go-ahead, pinch-hit home run off Brian Wilson in the ninth inning to push the Mets over the Giants, 5-2.
Carlos Beltran and Nick Evans tacked on run-scoring singles in the last inning, while Angel Pagan hit a two-run homer earlier in the game for New York.
“These guys just continue to battle through it,” Mets manager Terry Collins said. “We’re in a tough stretch and we have to come out here tomorrow night and battle another outstanding pitcher.”
Nate Schierholtz provided the Giants’ offense with a home run and sacrifice fly. Wilson (6-2) took the loss in relief of Ryan Vogelsong, who battled through seven innings and yielded two runs on seven hits and five walks.
“He kept his poise and kept us in the game,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “He leaves the ball game tied 2-2 after seven innings. That’s a pretty good job he did.”
The Mets countered one of the Giants’ three All-Star starters with a strong outing from R.A. Dickey, who also allowed two runs on seven hits over seven frames.
San Francisco’s All-Star closer, however, did not fare as well, as Hairston came off the bench and worked a full count against Wilson before skying one that kept carrying into the left-field seats.
New York piled on two more, as Beltran knocked in Pagan with a base hit and scored on Evans’ two-out single up the middle.
Francisco Rodriguez set down the Giants in order in the bottom half to record his 23rd save of the season.
Pedro Beato (2-1) recorded the final two outs of the eighth to earn the win.
Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval doubled to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 19 games.
San Francisco took two of three at New York in early May.