Mets at Marlins
Quality starts are not translating into victories for left-hander Jonathon Niese, who will take the mound Sunday when the New York Mets visit the Miami Marlins in the finale of a four-game series. Niese has won only once since April 29 despite recording quality starts in 11 of his last 13 turns. Niese keeps racking up the no-decisions with six in his last nine outings, including one in Miami on May 5 when he blanked the Marlins on five hits over seven innings.
New York scored more than three runs for the first time in eight games in Saturday's 4-0 victory - the second shutout of the series and only the fifth of the season suffered by the Marlins. Miami owned the best home record in the majors at 19-6 on May 22, but have dropped 11 of the last 17 at Marlins Park. Miami has scored only four runs in its last four games and a loss in Sunday's series finale will drop the team below .500 for the first time since April 30.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, WPIX (New York), FSN Florida (Miami)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets LH Jonathon Niese (3-4, 2.67 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Anthony DeSclafani (1-1, 5.60)
Niese was burned by a key error but also didn't help himself by giving up four run-scoring hits with two outs in a loss at St. Louis in his last start. It marked the 18th consecutive start in which Niese has permitted three or fewer earned runs - the longest active streak in the majors - but he is only 5-5 in that stretch. Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton is 7-for-21 with a pair of homers and four RBIs against Niese.
DeSclafani split a pair of decisions last month in his first two major-league starts before he was returned to the minors. He was recalled to face the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday and gave up four runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings - the longest outing of his brief career. The 24-year-old from New Jersey has 14 strikeouts against only three walks over 17 2/3 innings but has surrendered a homer in each of his starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Marlins 2B Rafael Furcal is expected to be placed on the 15-day disabled list after hurting his hamstring and calf in Saturday's game.
2. Mets 3B David Wright is 10-for-23 during a six-game hitting streak and has knocked in a run in five straight games.
3. Marlins 3B Casey McGehee has hit safely in 15 of 16 games.