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Marlins aim to solve Mets' Mejia

Apr 26, 2014 - 3:10 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Right-hander Jenrry Mejia can continue a career-best scoreless streak on Saturday night when the New York Mets host the Miami Marlins in the middle game of a three-game series at Citi Field.

Mejia won a Spring Training competition for the Mets' fifth starter position and has been solid since the outset of the regular season, with a 1.99 earned run average that's best on the team.

He's not been scored upon in his last 13 2/3 innings of work and is 3-0 on the season.

He's started against the Marlins once in his career and dropped a 3-2 decision last July after pitching six innings. Overall against Miami, he's got a 4.22 ERA in six appearances.

For the Marlins, right-hander Kevin Slowey gets a second consecutive call in place of injured starter Jacob Turner.

With Turner unavailable due to a shoulder strain, Slowey pitched five innings in a start against Seattle on Sunday and gave up two runs on three hits in a 3-2 victory.

He'd made his first four appearances of 2014 as a reliever.

In his last meeting with the Mets, he struck out eight in seven innings of relief in Miami's 2-1, 20-inning triumph last June.

On Friday, Curtis Granderson's RBI single capped a two-run ninth inning and lifted the Mets to a 4-3 win in the series opener.

Steve Cishek (1-1) entered to close it out for Miami in the ninth, but Lucas Duda singled on a hump-back liner to left, then moved over to second on a sacrifice bunt from Travis d'Arnaud. Pinch-hitter Bobby Abreu followed with a lineout to left for the second out of the inning.

Omar Quintanilla represented New York's last chance and he fisted one down the left-field line that scored Duda and tied the game.

Cishek had converted a franchise-record 33 straight saves before Friday.

Pinch-hitter Kirk Nieuwenhuis slapped a double to left-center that put runners on second and third before Granderson ripped a single right passed Garrett Jones at first that scored Quintanilla.

Jeurys Familia (1-2) earned the win for pitching the ninth. Zack Wheeler received a no-decision in the start for the Mets, striking out 10 over six innings and allowing one run on four hits with three walks.

David Wright and Daniel Murphy also knocked in runs for New York, which has won five of six.

Henderson Alvarez started for Miami and was charged with two runs on six hits with four strikeouts over six innings.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Jones each had solo home runs and Marcell Ozuna added an RBI for the Marlins, who fell to 1-9 on the road.

Miami won 11 of its 19 matchups with the Mets last season.