That felt good, didn’t it? The Mets, for the first time this year, swept an opponent, beating a reeling Nationals team and capping it off with a thrilling, 14-inning victory. Next up, the Mets hit the road for their first series of the season at Citizens Bank Ballpark. The Mets (8-6) last played the Phillies (8-8) in the middle of last week. While the Mets took on the Brewers and Nats, the Phils were busy playing the Cubs and Astros, going 4-2.

Friday night, Johan Santana (1-2, 3.05) faces Cole Hamels (2-1, 0.82) in a matchup between two of the National League’s best pitchers. They’re followed by Oliver Perez (1-0, 3.38) and Jamie Moyer (1-0, 5.52) on Saturday, and Mike Pelfrey (2-0, 1.50) and Adam Eaton (0-0, 4.12) on Sunday.

Game 1: Cole Hamels, LHP

What’s the Story? Hamels is one of the best young pitchers in the game, and, provided he stays healthy, will continue to mature into one of the very best pitchers, period. Last season, the second-year pitcher went 15-5 with a 3.39 ERA and 177 strikeouts against just 43 walks over 183.3 innings. Save for his opponent tonight, his changeup is the best in the game, with a sharp downward bite. He pairs it with a low-90s fastball with good movement and a very solid hard curveball. He’s a dangerous pitcher, and he’s off to a phenomenal start.

Last Year: Hamels made three starts against the Mets, going 0-1 with a 4.00 ERA over 19 innings with 17 strikeouts and nine walks. He didn’t pitch particularly well in any of the games, posting game scores of 54, 49, and 45. He did have troubles with the long ball, particularly on June 7th at Shea, when he gave up three solo shots in seven innings of work.

What to Expect: Hitters can’t sleepwalk their way through an at-bat against Hamels, as he’ll throw that devastating changeup on any count. He’ll throw about 50% fastballs, 35% change-ups and 15% curves, and won’t change that gameplan for either lefties or righties. That’s not to say that Hamels doesn’t make mistakes; he will leave the occasional fastball or change out over the plate, which can result in a longball or two. It’s a tough assignment, and Mets hitters will need to display some patience and see some pitches to have much of a chance.

Game 2: Jamie Moyer, LHP

What’s the Story? You can find my original scouting report on Mr. Moyer here.

This Year: Moyer started against the Mets at Shea, and he did what he always does: just enough to keep the Mets hitters off-balance. He went six innings and allowed two runs, but he allowed four hits, three walks, and a mammoth homerun to his long-time nemesis Carlos Delgado.

What to Expect: He’ll do just what he did last week. He’ll throw a ton of changeups and mix in a few breaking balls, while barely cracking 80. I’ll be shocked if he lasts more than six innings. Mets hitters need to work the count, because Moyer’s command isn’t what it used to be, and it could be a prime opportunity to tax the Phillies’ bullpen. But no matter what the Mets do against him, at the end of the day, it’ll inevitably feel like they should have done more. It’s the Jamie Moyer special.

Game 3: Adam Eaton, RHP

What’s the Story? You can find my original scouting report on Mr. Eaton here

This Year: The Mets didn’t quite beat the Eaton curse the last time out, but they did steal the game late from the clutches of Tom Gordon. Eaton went six frames and allowed three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out five. He allowed only one extra-base hit, a double to Angel Pagan.

What to Expect: Eaton will throw a lot of fastballs, especially for a guy who has four solid pitches. Mets hitters need to lay off the breaking stuff, because, while the fastball is a good pitch, it can be hit when the hitter knows it’s coming. He will throw one down the pipe from time to time. It should be noted that Eaton was particularly bad at home last year, allowing a 6.48 ERA at CBP. Like the first two pitchers, a patient approach works best, as Eaton will often fall behind in the count.

Overall: I think the Mets will take two out of three this weekend. They’re on a bit of a roll, and I like the matchups in the Mets’ favor. The one thing I worry about is Santana’s flyball tendencies in that bandbox, but I’m predicting a focused effort from Santana. I’m less sanguine about Perez’s flyball tendencies, but I do think the Mets will finally beat Adam Eaton on Sunday.