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Mets, Marlins play rubber match at Sun Life

Jul 24, 2011 - 2:34 PM (Sports Network) - With a lengthy nine-game road trip on the horizon, the Florida Marlins try to close out their three-game set against the New York Mets at home on a positive note this afternoon at Sun Life Stadium.

Florida, which has trips to National League East foes (Washington, Atlanta and New York) lined up for the next couple of weeks, managed to snap a four-game slide on Saturday thanks to Gaby Sanchez who hit a pair of two-run home runs in an 8-5 victory.

Omar Infante finished up 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored while Logan Morrison blasted a solo home run for a Marlins team that is last in the NL East standings and already a total of 16 games out of contention.

Florida third baseman Emilio Bonifacio extended his hitting streak to 22 games thanks to a 2-for-4 night that saw him cross the plate two times.

"After losing four in a row it was nice to see the guys come out swinging the bats," said Marlins manager Jack McKeon. "Maybe we're back on track offensively, I hope so."

Florida starter Clay Hensley made it through five innings as he gave up two runs on four hits with four walks. Burke Badenhop was awarded the win despite giving up a run and three hits over just 1 2/3 innings.

Jose Reyes accounted for three hits in five at-bats, posting a solo home run and three runs scored while David Wright drove in two for a Mets squad that has now dropped two of the last three contests and is an even 50-50 on the campaign overall.

Chris Capuano was strong through his first five innings, but saw things come apart in the sixth inning when Florida delivered four runs to take the lead. He was charged with the four runs on six hits with three walks while coming up with six strikeouts.

The focus of trade rumors of late, Carlos Beltran reached base safely on Saturday, extending his streak to 29 straight games, thanks to a hit and three walks.

Needing just six more strikeouts to reach 500 for his career, Anibal Sanchez takes the ball and the mound for the Marlins this afternoon in the series finale. The right-hander, already with a 4-4 career mark versus the Mets, hasn't won a decision this entire month. In fact, the last victory for Sanchez came in a 6-4 decision over Arizona way back on June 10.

More recently he battled San Diego at home on Tuesday and came out on the losing end of a 4-0 decision. In that matchup Sanchez permitted just two runs on seven hits and a couple of walks, striking out seven, over the course of six innings of work.

Meanwhile, Dillon Gee is set to make his first-ever start against the Marlins when he goes to the hill for the visitors. The Texas native, now in just his second season in the majors, snapped a personal two-game slide earlier this week when he played a major role in the Mets recording a 4-2 triumph over St. Louis.

Against the Cardinals, Gee allowed just the two runs on three hits and a couple of walks, striking out a pair, as he made it through seven innings of action for the hosts.

With the victory yesterday the Marlins moved to 4-3 in the season series with New York, having taken three of the last four encounters dating back to the middle of May.