Marlins at Mets
A sweep at the hands of National League East-leading Washington appears to have served as a wake-up call for the New York Mets, who go for their sixth consecutive victory in the middle contest of their three-game set versus the Miami Marlins on Tuesday. The Mets erased a six-run deficit to stun Miami 8-6 in the series opener.
New York has amassed 40 runs during its winning streak, which included a four-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs, to pull within four games of the Nationals. Yoenis Cespedes capped a three-hit effort with a tiebreaking two-run double as the Mets matched the fourth-longest comeback in franchise history. Christian Yelich recorded two hits and two RBIs on Monday as the Marlins wasted 17 hits in falling to 2-5 on their nine-game road trip. A pair of left-handers square off Tuesday, with Miami's Wei-Yin Chen opposing New York's Steven Matz.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Miami), SNY (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins LH Wei-Yin Chen (4-3, 5.11 ERA) vs. Mets LH Steven Matz (7-3, 3.40)
Receiving additional rest did little to help Chen in his last start as he was tagged for four runs and eight hits over 5 1/3 innings in a loss at Atlanta. He was 1-0 over his previous seven turns despite allowing at least four earned runs on four occasions. The 30-year-old Chen owns a 3-2 record and 4.61 ERA in seven road starts, but he has surrendered 10 homers in 41 frames away from home.
Dealing with a bone spur in his elbow that possibly could threaten his season, Matz is without a victory since reeling off a seven-start winning streak. The 25-year-old is 0-2 over his last six turns after picking up his third straight no-decision last time out against the Cubs, when he gave up two homers and three runs in 5 1/3 innings. Matz was pummeled by the Marlins for seven runs in 1 2/3 frames in his season debut.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cespedes is 13-for-33 during his eight-game hitting streak.
2. Yelich has hit safely in four straight games and eight of nine, with six multi-hit performances in that span.
3. Mets RHP Jeurys Familia has converted all 29 save chances this season and 45 in a row dating to last August.