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Morning Briefing: So how about a winning streak?

NEW YORK -- The New York Mets have not won back-to-back games since July 6-7. They will get another shot on Sunday.

Steven Matz (8-8, 3.60 ERA) opposes left-hander Clayton Richard (0-1, 6.46) in the 1:10 p.m. ET rubber game as the Mets and San Diego Padres complete a three-game series.

Matz threw a career-high 120 pitches in his last start. He is 1-7 with a 4.42 ERA since May 31.

The Mets (58-58) enter Sunday's game trailing the St. Louis Cardinals by 2½ games for the second wild-card spot.

SUNDAY’S NEWS REPORTS:

  • Jeurys Familia surrendered a game-tying solo homer to Wil Myers with two outs in the ninth, but the Mets survived for a 3-2 victory in 11 innings when Wilmer Flores' fielder’s choice grounder plated Neil Walker for the walk-off win. Padres second baseman Ryan Schimpf probably could have turned an inning-ending double play, but instead threw wide to the plate trying to retire Walker. Gabriel Ynoa earned the win in his MLB debut after logging a perfect top of the 11th. Jacob deGrom suffered his latest tough-luck no-decision. DeGrom took a no-hit bid one out into the fifth inning. The only damage against deGrom came on a seventh-inning solo homer by Yangervis Solarte that evened the score at 1-1. The Mets snapped a four-game losing streak. They returned to .500 a day after dipping below for the first time since April 17. DeGrom has a 1.49 ERA in his last nine starts. Read game recaps in the Post, Daily News, Times, Newsday, Record and at NJ.com and MLB.com.

  • The Mets activated Jose Reyes (oblique) from the disabled list and promoted Ynoa from Triple-A Las Vegas before Saturday’s game. Logan Verrett and Matt Reynolds were demoted to the Pacific Coast League club. Read more in the Daily News, Newsday, Record and at NJ.com and MLB.com.

  • Yoenis Cespedes (quadriceps) is due to begin a rehab assignment on Monday with Class A St. Lucie. He should rejoin the Mets when he is eligible to be activated from the DL on Friday at San Francisco. Asdrubal Cabrera's rehab assignment for a knee injury might start as soon as Tuesday. Read more in the Post and at NJ.com.

  • Columnist Ken Davidoff in the Post is unmoved by Saturday's win. Writes Davidoff: "There have been too many false starts, too many casualties, too much incompetence. Shoot, even this victory carried degrees of pain, given that Jeurys Familia stood one out from wrapping things up in regulation -- off yet another masterful start by Jacob deGrom -- before Wil Myers crushed a game-tying homer to left-center."

  • Jeff Walters surrendered a two-run homer in the top of the 10th and Las Vegas lost to New Orleans, 9-8. Rainy Lara recorded only two outs in his shortest career start and Harrisburg beat Binghamton, 8-4. John Mora homered in St. Lucie's 4-2 loss at Bradenton. Nabil Crismatt struck out 10 in seven scoreless innings and Columbia blanked Greensboro, 1-0. Anthony Dimino's walk-off RBI single capped Kingsport's 4-3 win against Greeneville. Austin McGeorge suffered his first blown save as West Virginia posted four runs in the ninth to earn an 8-5 win at Brooklyn. Read the full minor-league recap here.

BIRTHDAYS: Eric Cammack and McKay Christensen turn 41.

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YOU'RE UP: Would you prefer the Mets add Alex Rodriguez, Carlos Gomez or newly released Jonathan Papelbon?