CITIZENS BANK PARK

GAME 1 FRIDAY 7/3 AT 7:05PM

PHILLIES: Right-hander Rodrigo Lopez will make his season debut Friday against the Mets. He takes left-hander Antonio Bastardo’s spot in the rotation. Bastardo is on the DL with a strained left shoulder. Lopez is 5-4 with a 3.91 ERA in 13 starts this season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He is 65-65 with a 4.80 ERA in his seven-year Major League career. Because of arm problems, he last pitched for the Rockies in 2007. Lopez signed a Minor League deal with the Phillies at the end of Spring Training after they watched him pitch in the World Baseball Classic.

METS: Hernandez fell victim to the "one bad inning" syndrome that hit Mets starters during their series sweep at the hands of the Yankees, surrendering three first-inning runs last Sunday. Hernandez was in total control after that, allowing just one more hit as he completed seven innings for a third consecutive start. Although Hernandez has pitched well of late, the Mets have lost his past four starts. While this will be Hernandez’s first start against the Phillies this season, he has a 10-8 record and a 3.36 ERA against Philadelphia in 24 career starts; he is 2-2 with a 5.45 ERA in five starts at Citizens Bank Park. Chase Utley is 8-for-24 lifetime against the right-hander, and Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard each have two home runs — but averages below .200 — against Hernandez.

GAME 2 SATURDAY 7/4 AT 4:05PM

PHILLIES: Moyer struggled in his first two innings against the Blue Jays on Sunday, but settled in his next three to pick up the victory. In five innings, he allowed four runs on five hits. He walked two, struck out four and threw 82 pitches. "I made a number of bad pitches and the ones I made that were bad got hit hard," Moyer said. But with the 252nd victory of his career, Moyer passed Hall of Famer Bob Gibson for 43rd place on the all-time list.

METS: Nieve failed to make it out of the fourth inning in his last start against Milwaukee, giving up three runs to lose for the first time this season. Nieve threw just 3 1/3 innings, leaving the bottom of the fourth with the bases loaded and one out. He gave up three runs — which were as many as had given up all year — on 11 hits, throwing 68 pitches. Nieve has made five appearances against the Phillies, all in relief. He has given up five runs in 1 1/3 innings.

GAME 3 SUNDAY 7/5 AT 1:35PM

PHILLIES: Blanton allowed eight hits and three runs in just five innings Tuesday against the Braves at Turner Field. He didn’t pitch poorly. He just threw a lot of pitches. Not only did he allow eight hits, he also walked three (although two were intentional). That had his pitch count at 93 through five innings, so when the Phillies had a chance to score the tying run in the top of the sixth, they pinch-hit for him. Blandon had been pitching well before Tuesday, too. He had a 3.45 ERA in his previous seven starts.

METS: Santana gave up five earned runs on nine hits in his last start against the Brewers on Tuesday, losing for the third time in his last four starts. Santana left the game in the seventh inning after giving up a leadoff home run to Prince Fielder. Santana has a perfect 4-0 record against the Phillies in his career, with a 2.95 ERA in eight starts. He has faced Philadelphia twice already this year, with his last start coming on June 9 when he allowed five runs on four homers in eight innings in a 6-5 Mets win.

MY TAKE:

Well if you have ever read Long Drive there is one thing you know about me, and that is I HATE the Mets. I’m sure most of you do as well for a multitude of reasons such as their knack for going through five minute handshakes after something as simple as bunting a guy over. Last series preview I gave you my unedited negativity, and it served me right as the Phils got swept, but here I refuse to say the Phils will lose this series. The Mets have been terrible over the last couple weeks, along with the Fightins, and they haven’t been able to score a lot of runs. As long as the Phillies can scratch out some runs against the Mets’ pitchers by showing a little consistency at the plate I think we can easily win this series and maybe sweep. Santana seems to be lined up to pitch against us every time we play these assholes and there is no denying he has owned us 99% of those starts but he has struggled lately and, although of all the games this will be hardest for the Phils to win, I think they can scratch out a win. Our chances will be much better if Madson doesn’t pitch. Go Phils?

Scouting Reports l MLB.com

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• TheOtherJim on So Long, Brett Myers.