Straily, Marlins Go For Series Win Over First Place Mets
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MIAMI (CBSMiami/SportsDirect) – It's been a home run-happy series so far in South Florida between a pair of NL East rivals.
The long ball has played a big role in early days of the season for the New York Mets, but giving up homers recently has the Mets looking to snap a two-game losing streak entering the final game of a four-game series Sunday at the Miami Marlins.
The Mets looked to be in control Saturday when Asdrubal Cabrera extended New York's streak of games with a homer to 11, before Christian Yelich and Giancarlo Stanton went deep in the eighth inning of a 5-4 triumph.
Stanton had been 3-for-16 on Miami's homestand before blasting the go-ahead solo homer to center, one hitter after Yelich tied the game with a two-run shot.
Marcell Ozuna connected on his fifth homer earlier Saturday to push his major-league leading RBI total to 17, and the Marlins finished with four homers as Justin Bour also went deep.
New York has belted 16 homers in its first six road games of the season, sparked by Yoenis Cespedes' National League-leading six longballs.
The Mets' bullpen had posted a 2.93 ERA with only two homers allowed in 46 innings before Fernando Salas gave up three runs on two hits – the Yelich and Stanton homers – in two-thirds of an inning.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), FSN Florida (Miami)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Matt Harvey (2-0, 2.92 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Dan Straily (1-1, 7.56)
Harvey pronounced himself fine after leaving Tuesday's start against Philadelphia with tightness in his left hamstring after allowing two runs on five hits with six strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.
The 2013 All-Star, who missed the second half of last season with thoracic outlet syndrome surgery, has struck out 10 while allowing four runs in 12 1/3 innings in victories over Atlanta and the Phillies.
He makes his 10th career start against Miami, bringing a 2-3 lifetime record with a 3.79 ERA into Sunday.
Straily recovered from a rough first outing to beat Atlanta on Tuesday, striking out five while allowing two runs on three hits in five innings of an 8-4 victory.
He started his season by giving up five runs on six hits in 3 1/3 innings of a loss to Washington on April 5 but navigated through five innings Tuesday on 79 versus the Braves pitches after throwing 67 against the Nationals.
Straily has made one career start against the Mets, giving up seven runs (five earned) in taking a loss for the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 16, 2014.
WALK-OFFS
- Miami C J.T. Realmuto is 5-for-12 lifetime against Harvey, while Stanton is just 2-for-15 with eight strikeouts.
- New York OF Jay Bruce, who did not play Saturday, has reached base in 19 consecutive games dating back to Sept. 24, 2016, and is hitting .362 in that span with eight homers and 16 RBIs.
- Marlins 2B Dee Gordon went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, ending his nine-game hitting streak.
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