Jeff Grant: Monday MLB Insider Report - 6/4

[Jeff Grant]

Sunday MLB Recap

• Yankees SP Phil Hughes threw a career-high 123 pitches in recording his first career complete game
• New York finished its nine-game road trip with a 6-3 record, with two of the losses by one run
• In his last six games, Marlins 3B Hanley Ramirez is 12 for 24 with four HRs and three doubles
• In his last four starts, Phillies SP Joe Blanton is 0-3 with a 10.98 ERA, allowing 10 HRs in 19.2 innings
• Astros placed 1B Carlos Lee on the 15-day disabled list with a left hamstring injury
• Oakland is hitting .209 on the season and has been shut out in three of four games
• Royals 1B Eric Hosmer hit his first HR of the season off a left-handed pitcher
• Cleveland dropped to 4-12 against left-handed starters this year
• Minnesota relievers have held Cleveland to a .175 average and one run in 18 innings this year
• The Cubs have lost 10 straight road games for their longest skid away from Wrigley Field since dropping 10 in a row in September 2000
• The Giants have a major-league low six home runs in 28 home games, including none in the past 12 games
• Chicago is 2-11 against left-handed starters this year
• Mets starting pitchers are 7-0 with a 1.38 ERA dating back to May 25

[Jeff Grant]

St. Louis Cardinals at New York Mets
-New York Mets starters have not allowed a run against St. Louis in the first three games of this series
-Mets SP Dillon Gee is 2-0 with a 2.66 ERA in his last three outings
-Cardinals SP Kyle Lohse is 0-4 with a 9.39 ERA in five road starts against the Mets, including an 0-2 mark and 9.72 ERA in two outings at Citi Field
-St. Louis is 4-11 all-time at Citi Field
-Lohse has never pitched more than 5.2 innings against the Mets on the road
-The Mets are 17-7 in day games this year, the most wins in the majors, while 3B David Wright paces the NL with a .395 batting average in that situation
-Gee has allowed seven of his eight home runs at home this season
-Left-handed batters are hitting .311 against Gee this season

[Jeff Grant]

Mariners SP Jason Vargas has a 1.82 ERA at Angel Stadium - the lowest ERA by an opposing pitcher in Anaheim (min. 25 IP)

Statistic definitely adds strength to the preview I wrote for Monday night's Mariners/Angels game