New York @ Miami preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 1, 2013 ) NY Mets 1, Miami 8

The Miami Marlins have only notched two series wins this season, and both have come against the New York Mets. The Marlins will be going for their first three-game sweep when they host phenom Matt Harvey and the Mets again on Sunday. Miami has outscored New York 13-2 in the first two games of the series and is coming off its biggest offensive outburst in nearly four weeks with Saturday’s 8-1 drubbing.

The Marlins had not scored more than six runs since a 14-2 triumph at Philadelphia on May 5 but have gotten production up and down the lineup in the first two games against the Mets. New York had won five straight before coming to Miami but had depended largely on pitching to earn those victories. The Mets are averaging 2.75 runs over the last eight contests.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Matt Harvey (5-0, 1.85 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Kevin Slowey (1-5, 3.59)

Harvey has been one of the best pitchers in the majors in 2013, allowing two or fewer earned runs in nine of his 11 starts. One of those came on Tuesday, when the right-hander struck out 10 and did not walk a batter while allowing one run in eight innings against the New York Yankees. Harvey was let down by his offense at Miami on April 29, when he allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings but did not factor in the decision.

Slowey has not been at his best of late, going 0-3 with an 8.00 ERA in his last four starts. The 29-year-old has not made it out of the sixth inning in any of those four turns and has yielded five of his eight homers in that span. Slowey’s best start came against the Mets on April 30, when he allowed a run on four hits in eight innings to pick up a win.

WALK-OFFS

1. Marlins OF Chris Coghlan has hit safely in eight straight games and posted his first three-hit game of the season on Saturday.

2. New York SS Omar Quintanilla is 4-for-7 in the series.

3. Miami will be attempting to match a season high with its third straight win on Sunday.

PREDICTION: Mets 3, Marlins 1