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The New York Mets currently find themselves in a tailspin -- having lost six of seven -- and will try to get things straightened out starting Tuesday night against the first-place Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays have won four in a row, including an impressive three-game sweep of the Miami Marlins over the weekend.
One of the biggest reasons for these two squads heading in opposite directions is offense. Very simply, the Rays have been raking while the Mets bats have been invisible. Tampa Bay outscored their opponents 29-10 the last four games, highlighted by a 13-4 thrashing of the Marlins Saturday night. New York, meanwhile, barely averaged three runs a game during their last seven game stretch.
This will be the first meeting of these teams since 2009, when Tampa Bay won two of three.
Trying to turn the tide for the Mets will be lefty Chris Young, making just his second start after missing most of the season recovering from shoulder surgery. In his 2012 debut last Tuesday, Young went five strong innings, giving up just two earned runs on six hits. He will be opposed by 24-year-old Alex Cobb, taking the mound for the fifth time this season. Last time out against the New York Yankees, Cobb surrendered four runs on five hits over seven innings, picking up his second loss to go with two wins.
The Young-Cobb matchup is just setting the stage for two fantastic showdowns to finish the series: R.A. Dickey against David Price on Wednesday and Johan Santana taking on Jeremy Hellickson Thursday afternoon.
You can watch all the action locally on SNY or listen on WFAN 660 with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 p.m.