(UPDATED 2.0) The injury-depleted Mets will at least have Johan Santana to rely on tonight when they begin a grueling stretch with a three-game series against the NL East rival Phillies at Citi Field. Santana has won each of his past three starts but wasn’t particularly overpowering in any of them, giving up nine earned runs over 20 innings in that span. That compared to his first seven starts, when Santana allowed a total of four earned runs in 46 innings.
Santana, who will be faced by unbeaten Philadelphia lefty J.A. Happ, still has never lost to the Phillies. He is 3-0 with a 2.44 ERA in seven starts against them, including a 1-0 win at Citi Field on May 6.
The 30-25 Mets, who are three games back of the Phillies, will field this lineup for the 7:10 p.m. game:
Luis Castillo 2B
Alex Cora SS
Carlos Beltran CF
Gary Sheffield LF
David Wright 3B
Fernando Tatis 1B
Ryan Church RF
Omir Santos C
Johan Santana LHP (7-3, 2.00)
The 33-22 Phillies will counter with:
Shane Victorino CF
Chase Utley 2B
Jayson Werth RF
Ryan Howard 1B
Raul Ibanez LF
Jimmy Rollins SS
Pedro Feliz 3B
Carlos Ruiz C
J.J. Happ LHP (4-0, 2.48)
