Miami @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 26, 2014 ) Miami 7, NY Mets 6

The New York Mets and the Miami Marlins are waiting until the final moments to decide which team walks out with a win. One team will try to put things away before its final at-bat when the Mets host the Marlins in the rubber match of a three-game set on Sunday. New York claimed a 4-3 victory on Curtis Granderson’s RBI single in the ninth inning on Friday and Jarrod Saltalamacchia’s 10th-inning blast gave Miami a win on Saturday.

Saltalamacchia has homered in each of the first two contests while Giancarlo Stanton added a two-run blast as the Marlins crawled out of a 5-1 hole on Saturday. New York was hoping that Granderson’s heroics on Friday marked the start of a hot streak for the free-agent slugger, but he went 0-for-4 with a walk and a run scored on Saturday and is batting just .134. The Mets have been leaning on their starting pitching and scored more than five runs for the first time in nine games with Saturday’s 7-6 setback.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Miami), SNY (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Tom Koehler (2-1, 2.13 ERA) vs. Mets RH Dillon Gee (1-1, 3.58)

Koehler struck out a season-high eight while allowing two runs over 6 1/3 innings at Atlanta on Monday but was held out of the decision as the Marlins went on to drop a 4-2 contest. The New York native has yet to allow more than two earned runs and has gone at least six innings in each of his first four turns. Koehler is 1-1 with a 2.35 ERA in seven career games - four starts - against the Mets.

Gee struggled in his first three starts but was sharp over the last two, tossing seven scoreless innings at Arizona on April 16 before absorbing a tough-luck loss after six strong innings against St. Louis on Tuesday. The Texas native, who turns 28 on Monday, has issued only two walks in 13 total innings over his last two outings. Gee is 2-0 with a 3.09 ERA in four career starts against the Marlins.

WALK-OFFS

1. Marlins LF Christian Yelich took a 17-game hitting streak into the series but is 0-for-8 in the first two games against the Mets.

2. Mets CF Chris Young (illness) was limited to pinch hitting on Saturday and is day-to-day.

3. Miami has split its last four road games after dropping the first seven to begin the season.

PREDICTION: Marlins 5, Mets 3