(Sports Network) – Veteran right-hander Miguel Batista starts his fourth game with the New York Mets when they end the 2011 season with the finale of a three-game series against Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field.
Batista began the year with 26 appearances for the St. Louis Cardinals before coming to the Mets, who became his 11th major-league team since he debuted as a 21-year-old rookie with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1992.
The 40-year-old Dominican made his first start with the Mets on Sept. 1 against Florida and followed it with two more starts before five consecutive straight relief appearances through Sept. 24.
He’s 1-0 with New York with a 3.74 earned run average in 21 2/3 innings.
In 20 career games against the Reds, Batista is 3-1 with a 2.77 ERA.
The Reds reply with former all-star Edinson Volquez, who’s not won since June 29. The 28-year-old Dominican won at Tampa Bay to get to 3-7 on the season, but was sent to the minors after allowing six earned runs in 5 1/3 innings at St. Louis in July 5.
He’s made three September starts and gone 0-2 with a no-decision while giving up 16 hits and 10 runs in 16 2/3 innings against Colorado, Milwaukee and Pittsburgh.
Vazquez is 0-1 in two starts against the Mets with a 7.71 ERA.
On Tuesday, Drew Stubbs executed a go-ahead squeeze bunt as the Reds edged the Mets, 5-4, in 13 innings.
Juan Francisco slapped a one-out triple in the right-center field gap off of Dale Thayer (0-3) to set-up Stubbs for the squeeze that went toward third base.
Francisco Cordero earned his 37th save although he walked four in the 13th. Justin Turner hit into a game-ending unassisted double play when he lined out to Todd Frazier at second.
Jay Bruce had three hits, including a two-run homer for the Reds, who have won three straight.
Sam LeCure (2-1) picked up the win with a 1-2-3 12th.
Jose Reyes (.336) continued his pursuit of the first NL batting title in Mets history by going 3-for-6 with a pair of solo home runs. He leads the Brewers’ Ryan Braun (.335), who went 1-for-2 in Tuesday’s game against the Pirates.
The Mets swept a four-game set in Cincinnati from July 25-28.