Florida @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 25, 2010 ) Florida 5, NY Mets 4

The Florida Marlins got the better of another left-handed starter Wednesday. The New York Mets are coming right back with yet another southpaw.

The Marlins get a fourth crack at Jonathon Niese on Thursday night when they take on the Mets in the rubber game of their three-game series at Citi Field.

Florida improved to a National League-best 26-12 against lefties with Wednesday's 5-4 triumph, tagging Pat Misch for four runs – three earned – and nine hits over six innings. New York chipped away at a 5-1 deficit and loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth before Jose Reyes grounded out, ending the comeback attempt.

Hanley Ramirez went 4-for-5 with an RBI and rookie Gaby Sanchez drove in a pair of runs, giving him at least one RBI in six straight games and 15 in his last eight contests.

The Marlins, who have won four of their last five on the road, may have a more difficult time against Niese.

The 23-year old has allowed just one run in each of his last four starts and six of eight. In his last 11 outings, Niese has yielded more than one run just three times.

Niese posted his second win in three decisions on Saturday, tossing a rain-shortened complete game in which he gave up one run and five hits in five innings for a 5-1 victory at Pittsburgh.

Thursday marks Niese's fourth start against Florida this season. He went 1-2 with a 3.60 ERA in the first three outings but won the most recent meeting on June 5, when he allowed one run and six hits over seven innings of a 6-1 triumph at home.

Niese is 4-3 with a 3.45 ERA in 12 starts at Citi Field this year.

Opposing Niese will be Anibal Sanchez, who has won three of his last five outings. In the three victories, he surrendered just two unearned runs over 22 2/3 innings.

Sanchez scattered three hits over seven scoreless innings Friday in a 9-0 win over Houston.

Sanchez is 3-4 with a 4.23 ERA in eight career starts against the Mets, including a 1-1 record and 4.27 ERA in two meetings in 2010. The right-hander yielded four runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings of a 4-3 loss at New York on June 4.

The 26-year old Sanchez will be making his 13th road start this season. He is 6-5 with a 3.62 ERA away from home thus far.

Each team has a star player who has enjoyed success in the season series.

Ramirez has collected seven hits in 10 at-bats over the first two games of this three-game set. The superstar shortstop is batting .339 (21-for-62) with 12 RBIs against the Mets this year.

David Wright, who hit his 20th home run of the campaign in the ninth for New York, has feasted on Florida pitching in 2010. Wright has gone 21-for-57 (.368) with four homers and 12 RBIs against the Marlins.

After scoring a total of 10 runs in their first seven home games this month, the Mets have crossed the plate 10 times over the last two contests at Citi Field.