• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Mets take on Marlins in opener of three-game set

Jul 28, 2008 - 1:40 PM NY Mets (57-48) at Florida (55-50), 7:10 pm EDT

MIAMI (Ticker) -- The New York Mets took care of business against the Philadelphia Phillies last week. Now, they must hurdle another National League East Division foe.

John Maine and the Mets take on the Florida Marlins in the opener of a three-game set on Monday at Dolphin Stadium.

The Mets have won 15 of 19 games overall and are 12-2 in their last 14 games against the Marlins on the road.

Maine (9-7, 4.20 ERA) defeated the Phillies on Wednesday, when he tossed seven solid innings and surrendered three runs. The righthander has held opponents to three runs or less in eight of his last 10 starts, but has just one win since June 25.

The Marlins will counter with Ricky Nolasco (10-6, 3.99), who has developed into the team's top starter, but has dropped two straight decisions.

Nolasco had a string of allowing two runs or less in six of seven games, but has surrendered four or more in his last two.

Mike Jacobs belted two homers on Sunday for the Marlins, who took two of three games against the Chicago Cubs this weekend. However, after back-to-back 3-2 victories, Alfonso Soriano and Derrek Lee each homered to snap the Marlins' hopes of a sweep.

The Mets won the rubber match of a three-game set against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday behind Johan Santana's first complete game effort as a member of the team. Fernando Tatis and Ramon Castro also homered en route to the 9-1 triumph.

David Wright homered and added three hits for New York. The All-Star third baseman also reached 20 homers for the fourth straight season. His four 20-plus homer seasons are second-most for a Mets third baseman, behind hitting coach Howard Johnson's five.

Nolasco has been a revelation for Florida, since it has had trouble with keeping a consistent rotation in tact. The club received some positive news, though. Andrew Miller, who has been on the 15-day disabled list since July 18 with patella tendinitis in right knee, threw a side session and is expected to throw another one Monday.

When Dan Uggla doubled in the fourth inning Saturday, he broke an 0-for-19 drought, but he was hitting just .138 since June 22 -- the worst in the major leagues over that stretch at the time. On Sunday, he may have ended his offensive slumber with a 2-for-3 outing, which included his 25th homer.