 had at least one hit and all but two (Reyes and Cabrera) drove in at least one run. Seth Lugo (2-1) won for the third time in his last four starts. He gave up four runs in 5 2/3 innings and was 1 for 2 with one RBI. Gorkys Hernandez hit a two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the sixth off Lugo that spoiled his bid for a fifth straight quality start. Cespedes' ninth homer of the season highlighted a six-run second inning in which the Mets sent 10 batters to the plate. Cespedes had a double in the sixth that highlighted a three-run inning. In 13 games since coming off the disabled list Cespedes is 17 for 43 with seven extra-base hits including three home runs. He's 8 for 18 with three home runs in his last four games at AT&T Park going back to last season. Ty Blach (4-5) gave up seven runs in three innings. He's 0-3 with a 6.84 ERA in his last five starts. Cabrera was activated from the disabled list and inserted into the New York Mets' starting lineup at second base rather than shortstop and he said he wants to be traded. Cabrera had three hits Friday night. The 31-year-old, a two-time All-Star and a veteran of 11 big league seasons, had not started at second since Sept. 28, 2014. The Mets started Jose Reyes at shortstop against San Francisco on Friday night and Wilmer Flores at third. TRANSACTIONS:Mets: Second-round draft selection Mark Vientos signed out of high school for a $1.5 million signing bonus. The infielder was the 59th overall selection in this year's draft. . The Mets also signed their third- and fifth-round picks, OF Quinn Brodey and 1B/OF Matt Winaker (both from Stanford). . Brodey signed for a $500,000 bonus and Winaker for $280,000. Giants: LHP Bryan Morris was designated for assignment and Steven Okert was called up from Triple-A Sacramento. TRAINER'S ROOMGiants: LHP Madison Bumgarner (separated left shoulder) threw 45 pitches in a simulated game on Wednesday at the team's spring training complex in Scottsdale, Arizona. . Utilityman Eduardo Nunez went on the 10-day DL with a hamstring injury. The Giants activated 3B Conor Gillaspie (back spasms). UP NEXTMets RHP Jacob deGrom (6-3, 394 ERA) has allowed one earned run over 17 innings in his last two starts. He's 3-1 with a 3.62 ERA in five career starts against the Giants. San Francisco RHP Johnny Cueto (5-7, 4.42) is 1-6 with a 4.13 ERA in his last nine starts. He's 4-4 with a 3.75 ERA in 12 career starts against the Mets.)
Time: 10:15 PM EDT Venue: AT&T Park, San Francisco, CA, 94107 SAN FRANCISCO -- The New York Mets and San Francisco Giants, two teams desperate for a winning streak, will turn to young pitchers to begin a three-game series of National League disappointments Friday night. Mets right-hander Seth Lugo and Giants lefty Ty Blach will duel in a battle of teams that have one win apiece in the past eight days." We have a lot of work to do," outfielder Jay Bruce said recently of the Mets, who ended last week losing three of four to the Washington Nationals before getting swept four straight against the Los Angeles Dodgers. "We have an uphill battle to climb." It's not quite the uphill battle staring the Giants in the face after they completed an eight-game trip to Colorado and Atlanta with a 1-7 record, with the only win coming Tuesday against the Braves. The Mets (31-41) begin play Friday 12 games behind the Nationals in the NL East. The Giants (27-48) are 21 1/2 back of the Dodgers in the NL West. With rotation regulars Matt Harvey (shoulder) and Noah Syndergaard (lat) out of action, Lugo was pressed into starting duty June 11 and responded impressively, limiting the Braves to one run and six hits over seven innings. It was his season debut. His second outing wasn't as sharp as he allowed three runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings in a loss to the Nationals. Those were his exact numbers when he faced the Giants in San Francisco last August in an 8-1 loss. It was his only career meeting with the Giants. The rest of the patchwork Mets rotation got roughed up the last four nights in Los Angeles, with Zack Wheeler, Robert Gsellman, Tyler Pill and Steven Matz getting bombed for 22 runs and 25 hits in 18 1/2 innings. If there's reason for optimism in the visitors' clubhouse Friday night, it's that the Mets have completed an 11-game stretch against the powerful Chicago Cubs, Nationals and Dodgers. The Giants reside at the other end of the success spectrum. They stand tied with the 1985 edition for the worst 75-game record in West Coast franchise history. Blach, who has never faced the Mets, will attempt to turn things around. He got a no-decision at Colorado during the club's disastrous trip, allowing three runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings. With one exception, the second-year major-leaguer's home starts have been impressive. But that exception was in his most recent appearance at AT&T Park, when he was shelled by the Kansas City Royals for seven runs and 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings. Before that, he hadn't allowed more than two runs in any of his five home starts this season." He's done a terrific job. Been a sliver lining," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said of Blach, who has replaced injured Madison Bumgarner (shoulder) in the rotation. "Losing your Opening Day starter and he has stepped in and more than held his own. Done a nice job keeping us in the game. He's a pleasure to watch." This kid has established himself as a major league starter in all of this."
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