Milone, Mets go for sweep of Angels

NEW YORK -- The New York Mets will need an impressive effort from their newest starting pitcher if they are going to complete a series sweep of the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday afternoon.

The Mets will send left-hander Tommy Milone to the mound Sunday in the finale of a three-game series against the Angels at Citi Field. New York won its second straight game Saturday, when it withstood a furious ninth-inning rally by Los Angeles to hang on for a 7-5 win. Closer Addison Reed recorded the final out of a three-run ninth by striking out pinch hitter Danny Espinosa with the bases loaded.

Mets manager Terry Collins hoped to get through Saturday's game without using his best relievers. But Neil Ramirez, making his New York debut with a 7-2 lead, opened the ninth by allowing all three batters he faced to reach base.

"We were short (in the bullpen)," said Collins, who added that left-hander Jerry Blevins wasn't available after pitching in the Mets' previous five games. "I thought it was a good spot for him."

Collins said he was saving rookie Paul Sewald for a potential closing situation Sunday. Reed is likely to be unavailable after throwing 29 pitches on Saturday, and right-hander Fernando Salas may also be questionable after he threw 12 pitches in wriggling out of starter Zack Wheeler's bases-loaded, none-out jam in the sixth.

Milone is 0-1 with a 5.91 ERA in two starts since the Mets claimed him off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers on May 7. He took the rotation spot of ace right-hander Noah Syndergaard, who is expected to be out until August due to a torn right lat.

Milone took the loss in his most recent start on Tuesday after allowing five runs over a season-high 5 2/3 innings as New York fell to the Arizona Diamondbacks, 5-4. Milone has not pitched six innings in a start since last July 19, when he went 8 1/3 innings for the Minnesota Twins against the Detroit Tigers.

He is 6-2 with a 4.68 ERA in 12 career starts against the Angels, whom he has beaten more than any other opponent.

Milone will be opposed by Angels right-hander Jesse Chavez, who was expected to serve as a swingman upon signing as a free agent last fall but has proven to be a steadying force in Los Angeles' injury-wrecked rotation. Chavez has allowed three runs or fewer in six of his eight starts this season and is one of only three pitchers -- along with right-handers Ricky Nolasco and Matt Shoemaker -- to make every scheduled start.

The Angels have gotten passable results from Alex Meyer, JC Ramirez and Daniel Wright in their attempts to replace right-hander Garrett Richards, who is out until at least August with a biceps injury, and right-hander Tyler Skaggs, who is expected to be sidelined through the All-Star Break due to a right oblique injury.

Meyer, Ramirez and Wright have combined to record a 4.18 ERA in 13 starts. The Angels added another potential rotation piece by signing veteran right-hander Doug Fister on Saturday, though he is expected to need a few weeks in the minors before he's ready to pitch in the majors.

"There's always a concerted effort to build your pitching depth in your organization," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said Saturday afternoon. "I know (general manager) Billy (Eppler has) put a lot of time into it and has had a lot of options that he felt were going to create depth. And unfortunately, we've had to tap into them."

Chavez is 0-0 with a 3.86 ERA in five career relief appearances against the Mets.