Marlins Go For Sweep Of Mets In Final Game Of Series
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QUEENS (CBSMiami/SportsDirect) – After a rough first few games, the Miami Marlins seem to be getting their act together but it helps that their current opponent is having an even tougher start to the season.
The New York Mets are conjuring up memories from last year's club - not the team that made it to the World Series, but rather the unit that struggled through the first few months due to one of the league's worst offenses.
The Mets hope to get their bats untracked as they try to avert a three-game sweep against the visiting Miami Marlins on Wednesday afternoon.
New York has scored a total of six runs during its four-game losing streak after wasting an overpowering 12-strikeout performance by Noah Syndergaard in Tuesday's 2-1 defeat.
The Mets were forced to turn to their bullpen for 7 1/3 innings in the series opener and could be in a predicament with reliever Logan Verrett making a spot start on Wednesday.
Marlins centerfielder Dee Gordon struck out a career-high four times Tuesday but still managed to torment New York.
Gordon, who batted a robust .427 versus the Mets in 2015, scored the winning run following a single that capped a franchise-record 16-pitch at-bat.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Miami), SNY (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins LH Adam Conley (0-1, 7.94 ERA) vs. Mets RH Logan Verrett (0-0, 9.00)
Conley had his season debut curtailed after one inning due to rain at Washington on Thursday, a brief but erratic outing in which he was touched for three runs, two walks and a wild pitch.
A second-round draft pick in 2011 out of Washington State, Conley made 15 appearances (11 starts) as a rookie and compiled a 4-1 record and 3.76 ERA.
The 25-year-old Conley turned in his finest start at Citi Field with seven scoreless innings of three-hit ball on Sept. 16.
With right-hander Jacob deGrom scratched because of tightness in his lat, the Mets turned to Verrett to make the spot start, hopeful he can provide an encore from a similar situation last year.
Verrett made a spot start at home against the Marlins in mid-September and delivered five solid innings, yielding one run on three hits while striking out three.
The most memorable of his four starts in 2015 was eight innings of one-run ball in place of Matt Harvey.
WALK-OFFS
- Marlins OF Ichiro Suzuki moved past Barry Bonds, Miami's hitting coach, for 33rd on the all-time list with 2,936 hits.
- Mets manager Terry Collins said the team will activate RHP Rafael Montero for Wednesday's game and demote a pitcher to the minors.
- Marlins LHP Mike Dunn had a setback during a bullpen session Sunday and will have his strained left forearm examined by the team doctor.
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