Johan vs. Pettitte…

Jon Blau, of www.mlb.com, writes about Saturday’s pitching matchup, Johan Santana vs. Andy Pettitte.

NYM: LHP Johan Santana (7-6, 2.93 ERA) Santana threw a fastball up in the zone to Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez on Monday, and Hernandez hit the first grand slam by a pitcher in an Interleague game. Santana completed seven innings and allowed only one earned run in the 5-2 loss. He threw 106 pitches, 72 for strikes. Santana said after that game that his fastball is coming off his hand better than at any other point this season, but that improvement hasn't shown on the left side of his record. He has lost his last three decisions. Santana has a 4-0 record and a 2.93 ERA in 40 career innings in six starts against the Yankees.

NYY: LHP Andy Pettitte (8-5, 4.04 ERA) Pettitte threw six shutout innings on Sunday in the Yankees' 4-1 home victory over the Reds. He might have pitched deeper into the game, if not for a 56-minute rain delay. Pettitte has allowed one run in his three most recent starts (21 innings) and none in 19 innings, his longest scoreless stretch since a career-best 23-inning streak in 1997. He has a 7-4 record and a 3.48 ERA in 17 career regular-season starts against the Mets. One of those losses came on May 17 at Yankee Stadium opposite Santana.

(Mets need to score early, and often, for Santana, who is showing frustration at the lack of run support, and defensive support, during his starts. Santana should be at least 10-3, not 7-6. If he can win today, he can have 8 wins before the halfway point of the season, and be on a pace for 16 wins, and hopefully win 17-20, with better support in the second half.)