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Mets look to sweep two-game set from Marlins

Apr 19, 2007 - 2:18 PM NY Mets (9-4) at Florida (6-8) 7:05 pm EDT

MIAMI (Ticker) -- The New York Mets look to complete a two-game sweep of the Florida Marlins when the teams meet Thursday.

Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez (1-1, 4.00 ERA) takes the hill for the Mets. The Cuban righthander is hoping to bounce back after getting tagged for eight runs and six hits in five innings in a 6-2 lost to Washington on Saturday.

Hernandez had a 2-1 record with a 5.19 ERA in three career starts against Florida, winning both his trips to South Beach.

New York third baseman David Wright extended his hitting streak to a franchise-high 25 games dating to last season with his 2-for-5 performance in Wednesday's 9-2 victory in the series opener. He has hit safely in all 13 games this season.

Rookie Rick Vanden Hurk (0-0, 3.86) takes the ball with the hopes of ending Florida's four-game slide. In his last start, Vanden Hurk surrendered two runs in 2 1/3 innings in an 8-4 setback at Atlanta on Sunday.

A 21-year-old native of the Netherlands, Vanden Hurk was recalled from Class AA Carolina to take the rotation spot of Ricky Nolasco, who is sidelined with an elbow injury.

Carlos Beltran had six hits and five RBI in his last three games for the Mets, who had John Maine carry a no-hitter into the seventh inning in Wednesday's win.