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Marlins-Mets Preview

Sep 10, 2009 - 5:29 AM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Florida (73-65) at New York (62-76), 7:10 p.m. EDT

The Florida Marlins have six games left against the team they're chasing in the NL East, but if those are going to mean anything they can't afford to lose ground along the way.

Right now, they certainly don't look like a team about to falter.

The Marlins try for their seventh win in eight games and a three-game sweep Thursday night at Citi Field against the New York Mets, who have yet to go winless in a series against an NL team at their new home.

Florida (74-65) was 9 1/2 games behind Philadelphia in the East on Sept. 1 after losing for the fifth time in six games, but manager Fredi Gonzalez's club has cut that deficit to six after winning six of its last seven.

The offense has led the way, averaging 6.9 runs led by shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who's hitting .421 with three homers and 9 RBIs since Sept. 3.

Ramirez had a five-game RBI streak and a three-game homer streak heading into Wednesday, and while he didn't extend either, he still helped the Marlins win. Ramirez singled in the first inning and scored on Cody Ross' three-run homer, the big blow in a four-run opening frame of Florida's 6-3 victory that helped it keep pace with the Phillies.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't look up (at the scoreboard) after every out in every inning," Ross said after watching Philadelphia beat Washington 6-5. "I just look up there and see what's going on.

"All that doesn't matter if we're not doing our own business."

The Marlins certainly have taken care of business against the Mets (62-77), with their fourth series victory out of five versus New York already assured. A win Thursday would make them the first NL team to sweep the Mets at Citi Field - the Yankees also won all three games there June 26-28.

Sean West (6-5, 4.61 ERA), the only Florida starter to allow more than three runs in the team's past 11 games, will get the ball Thursday.

West gave up five runs and seven hits in three innings Friday at Washington, though the Marlins rallied to win 9-6.

The rookie left-hander was 3-1 with a 2.45 ERA in his last four starts before that rough outing, including a victory against the Mets on Aug. 25, when he allowed one run in six innings. In two starts versus New York, West is 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA.

The Mets will send a rookie right-hander to the mound, and Bobby Parnell (3-7, 5.25) is coming off arguably the best start of his young career despite not earning a win. Parnell limited the Chicago Cubs to five hits over seven scoreless innings Friday, striking out seven in New York's 6-2 victory.

Parnell, who has a 2.45 ERA in five relief appearances against the Marlins this season, had been 0-3 with a 15.63 ERA in his previous three outings.

"It's good to see the mental toughness," said New York third baseman David Wright, who is 0 for 7 in this series and hitting .195 in 10 games versus Florida in 2009. "That just shows the maturing process. There's been a tendency when he struggles to let the floodgates open. Today he put a stop to that."

Ramirez is 3 for 4 with two RBIs against Parnell.