In a rarity for the Crew, their three-game series at Shea Stadium against the first-place Mets is ESPN’s Marquee Matchup of the weekend. New York is off to a 7-1 start, the best record in baseball, and have won six consecutive games against the Marlins and Nationals. The Brewers will present the Amazin’s with their first true test of the season.

Offensively, New York has butchered opposing pitchers. The top of the batting order has been especially potent, with shortstop Jose Reyes posting a .333/.350/.590 line followed by Mr. Heart and Soul, Paul Lo Duca (.296/.387/.370) and sluggers Carlos Delgado (.394/.459/.727), Carlos Beltran (.296/.432/.630), and David Wright (.469/.472/.938). They lead the league with a .320 team batting average, are third with a .371 on-base average, and are second with a .524 slugging average. Despite those gaudy totals, the team has scored a relatively modest 53 runs, good for just sixth in the NL.

On the mound, the Mets have a league-low 2.84 ERA and have allowed just 27 runs, six less than the next closest club. Tom Glavine, Pedro Martinez, and rookie Brian Bannister have anchored the rotation while the bullpen has combined to strikeout 23 batters in 24 innings. The only Met reliever to struggle has been hard-throwing right-hander Jorge Julio, who in three games has surrendered nine hits and eight runs.

The Brewers, meanwhile, are looking forward to the return of their ace and franchise player as Ben Sheets makes his season debut on Sunday afternoon. Thanks to some Carlos Lee magic, the team salvaged a 1-2 split against the Cardinals in St. Louis and is hoping to prove the doubters wrong with a strong road trip through New York and Houston.

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