MLB Odds - Mets marching toward NL East lead

A good way to begin a three-game series is to defeat the opposition's best pitcher. The New York Mets did just that Tuesday when they dismantled Justin Verlander and the Detroit Tigers as a small home underdog, 14-6. The Mets then captured Wednesday's middle game as a 115 home favorite, 5-0.

The combined five runs ducked below the 8 ½-run closing total, leaving the ‘under'  9-2 in the Mets' last 11 home encounters.

Wednesday's victory lifted the Mets' interleague record this season to 11-2 and raised their home ledger to a sizzling 26-10. The Tigers fell to 13-21 on the road and 9-5 in interleague action.

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The Mets will now get the opportunity to register the seep against Detroit's Armando Galarraga in Thursday's series finale. Galarraga, of course, will be best remembered for a having a perfect game taken away on an umpire's bad call for what should have been the 27th and final out.

Galarraga (2-1, 3.32 ERA) has started three times since tossing his near perfect gem on June 2 against the Indians, but has not been involved in any decisions. However, the Tigers have won all three of those starts and are 5-1 in Galarraga's six assignments.

The 28-year-old righty had his most recent outing Sunday when he allowed Arizona four runs on seven hits (one homer) in just 4 1/3 innings spanning 88 pitches. He walked two and fanned two during Detroit's 7-5 victory as hefty 200 home favorites. The combined 12 runs leaped ‘over' the 9 ½-run closing total.

Galarraga is 0-1 with a bloated 6.52 ERA in two starts away from Comerica Park this season. This will be his first career appearance against the Mets.

Detroit is 12-8 against southpaw starting hurlers, 9-9 in one-run games and has a plus-one run differential (315-314). The club will continue on its nine-game road excursion Friday with a three-game weekend series in Atlanta against the Braves.

The Mets will send Hisanori Takahashi (6-2, 3.13 ERA) to the mound in Thursday's finale. The southpaw will be making his seventh consecutive start after opening the season with four straight relief appearances. The Mets are 4-2 in his six starts, with the ‘under' also going 4-2.

Takahashi is coming off his best performance of the season, which resulted in a 4-0 Mets victory against the Yankees as hefty 180 road underdogs. Takahashi blanked the Bombers on just four hits through six innings spanning 103 pitches. He walked two batters and fanned three.

Takahashi, who has never faced the Tigers, has pitched six innings or more and allowed one run or less in four of his six starts this season. He is 4-1 with a fine 3.06 ERA at Citi Field.

The Mets are 28-22 against right-handed starters and are 9-11 in one-run games. They also have a fine plus-54 run differential (330-276).

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Alfonso Marquez is scheduled to call balls and strikes in Thursday's finale. The arbiter has seen the ‘over' go 9-6 in his 15 games behind home plate this season.

Detroit rookie center fielder and leadoff hitter Austin Jackson returned to the starting lineup Tuesday and went 1-for-4. Back spasms forced Jackson (.308, 1 HR, 14 RBIs) out of a June 13 game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.