Marlins at Mets
Lucas Duda is rolling at the plate and the New York Mets are along for the ride – all the way into sole possession of first place in the National League East for the first time in over three years. The red-hot first baseman looks to help the Mets match their longest winning streak since a six-game run from April 21-27, 2011, on Friday when they continue a four-game home series against the Miami Marlins.
Duda, who is 12-for-26 over his last six contests, delivered a go-ahead
RBI single in the seventh inning of Thursday’s 7-5 series-opening win
over the Marlins to highlight a 3-for-4 performance. The victory kept
the Mets undefeated at Citi Field (4-0) while also allowing Duda to post
his fifth multi-hit effort in six games and increase his batting
average to a team-high .395. Miami saw its modest two-game winning
streak come to a halt, but 2014 NL Hank Aaron Award winner Giancarlo
Stanton belted his 155th career homer, moving him past Dan Uggla for
most in Marlins history. "Enjoy it later; 3-7 is the only record I know
right now," Stanton told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel in reference to
the Marlins' win-loss record. "I'll enjoy those when it's time for
that."
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Miami), SNY (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH David Phelps (0-0, 36.00 ERA) vs. Mets RH Bartolo Colon (2-0, 2.77)
Despite
getting roughed up in last Friday’s 10-9 win versus Tampa Bay, Phelps
will get a look as a starter after the Marlins placed Henderson Alvarez on the disabled list with right shoulder and elbow inflammation.
The 28-year-old, who will return after spending the last three days on
the paternity leave list, was tagged for four runs while recording only
one out in his last relief appearance. Phelps had similar luck in his
only turn against the Mets in 2013 as he surrendered five runs (four
earned) in a third of an inning as a member of the New York Yankees.
Colon
was quite efficient in recording his second quality start in Sunday’s
4-3 victory at Atlanta, needing only 77 pitches over seven innings. The
17-year veteran allowed three runs on six hits and struck out five, but
also made a rare offensive impact by driving in a run with a
fourth-inning single – his first RBI since June 10, 2005. Ichiro Suzuki
is 26-for-87 with three homers and nine RBIs in his career against
Colon, who went 1-1 with a 2.45 ERA in two outings versus the Marlins
last year and is 3-2 with a 3.48 ERA in five all-time starts against
them.
WALK-OFFS
1. Stanton has homered in four straight games against New York.
2.
Marlins LF Christian Yelich (back tightness) returned to the lineup Thursday following a two-game
absence, going 1-for-4 with a run scored.
3. The Mets are one of three teams without a home loss, joining the Kansas City Royals (3-0) and Detroit Tigers (3-0).