Miami @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 12, 2018 ) Miami 0, NY Mets 0

Mother Nature prevented the Miami Marlins and New York Mets from playing their scheduled doubleheader on Wednesday, with a 5-hour, 35-minute rain delay limiting the struggling National League East clubs to just one game in front of a sparse crowd. The Marlins (57-87) and Mets (66-78) will attempt to squeeze in a single-admission doubleheader on Thursday when they reconvene at Citi Field in New York.

Jay Bruce belted a grand slam and Dominic Smith also went deep to highlight a seven-run sixth inning as New York posted its seventh win in 10 outings this month with a 13-0 romp over Miami on Wednesday. Jeff McNeil recorded his third three-hit performance in four games for the Mets and is 12-for-27 with six runs scored during his last six outings overall. Miami's Derek Dietrich had one of his team's five hits to improve to 14-for-46 versus New York this season while scoring 10 runs. Dietrich has limited experience against Steven Matz and none versus fellow left-hander Jason Vargas, who are expected to pitch in the doubleheader for the Mets against right-handers Jeff Brigham and Sandy Alcantara - although neither team has confirmed the order of the pitchers on Thursday.

TV: 6:40 p.m. ET, FS Florida, SNY (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Sandy Alcantara (2-0, 0.75 ERA) vs. Mets LH Steven Matz (5-11, 4.17)

Alcantara has fared well in a pair of major-league starts this season, allowing just one run on six hits over 12 innings to win both outings. The 23-year-old Dominican overcame five walks to pitch five frames in an 8-2 victory over the Mets on June 29 before scattering three hits over seven scoreless innings in a 2-1 triumph versus Philadelphia on Sept. 5. Marlins manager Don Mattingly talked long-term as it relates to Alcantara, telling reporters that "you're talking about a guy who can be a top of the rotation guy."

Matz saw his winless stretch extend to six starts, although he is just 0-1 with a 2.25 ERA with 31 strikeouts in his past four. The 27-year-old looks to get back on track when he faces Miami, against which he picked up the win after allowing one unearned run on three hits while striking out six over 5 1/3 frames of a 5-2 win on July 1. Matz has flustered Starlin Castro (0-for-6, four strikeouts), although J.T. Realmuto is 3-for-7 against him.

WALK-OFFS

1. Miami has seen three games postponed in the last week due to poor weather conditions.

2. New York OF Michael Conforto is 7-for-18 with three homers, six RBIs and five runs scored in his last four contests.

3. Marlins 3B-OF Brian Anderson is 3-for-7 with two runs scored in this series after going 1-for-19 in his previous six games.

PREDICTION: Marlins 4, Mets 3