• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Maine, Mets hope to carry momentum into matchup with Marlins

May 26, 2007 - 2:06 PM Ny Mets (30-17) at Florida (23-25) 7:05 pm EDT

MIAMI (Ticker) -- The New York Mets broke out of their offensive doldrums at the last possible minute of their series opener against the Florida Marlins. John Maine hopes to awaken from a malaise of his own.

Maine takes the mound Saturday when the Mets visit the Marlins in the middle contest of a three-game series.

The top team in the National League, New York managed a total of just five runs in its three-game series with Atlanta and entered Friday's series opener with just seven runs in its previous four contests.

The Mets were headed down a similar path against the Marlins, scoring just once over the first eight innings Friday. But New York erupted for a five-run rally in the ninth - capped by Carlos Beltran's two-run double - en route to a 6-2 victory.

On Saturday, the Mets will turn to Maine (5-2, 2.77 ERA), who has lost each of his last two starts after winning his first five decisions this season.

The righthanded Maine struggled through his worst outing of the campaign in last Sunday's 6-2 loss to the Yankees, yielding season highs of five runs and eight hits in five innings.

Maine was outstanding in his only previous start against the Marlins this season, tossing seven strong innings to record the win here on April 18.

Florida counters with Wes Obermueller (1-2, 3.71), who will make his first start since May 13. The righthander has not won since tossing six innings to beat Washington on April 22, a span of five appearances.

Prior to Friday's loss, the Marlins had won seven of their previous nine games. But Florida has lost four of its six meetings with the Mets this season, including all three contests here.