(Sports Network) - Left-handed Japanese import Hisanori Takahashi can atone for a poor last start when the New York Mets go for a sweep of a three-game home series with the visiting Florida Marlins today at Citi Field.
The Mets have won seven in a row and 17 of their last 21 games in their second season in their new ballpark in Queens. That streak continued on Saturday, when Jon Niese returned from the disabled list to toss seven strong innings and Ike Davis went 4-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored as New York downed the Marlins, 6-1.
Niese (2-2), who had been on the DL since May 17 with a mild right hamstring strain, gave up just one run on six hits with a walk and six strikeouts for the Mets, who have won three of their last four. David Wright went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer, three RBI and two runs scored.
The Mets are now 21-9 at Citi Field so far in 2010, the most home wins among any team in the majors this year.
Ronny Paulino had two hits and drove in the lone run for the Marlins, who have dropped three of their past four. Nate Robertson (4-5) was tagged with the loss after he was roughed up for six runs on seven hits with a walk and five strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings.
Takahashi, who turned 35 in April, was tagged for eight hits and six runs in four innings of his last outing, an ugly 18-6 loss at San Diego on Monday. He'd twirled six scoreless innings just five days before, earning his fourth win of the season in New York's 5-0 defeat of Philadelphia.
The first-year major leaguer made 15 straight relief appearances to begin the year and logged a 3.12 earned run average in 26 innings. He tossed three innings of relief at Florida on May 16, allowing four hits and two runs in his last bullpen outing.
Takahashi is 4-1 in 12 home appearances.
For the Marlins, righty Ricky Nolasco aims for a second straight win and his sixth of the season. The 27-year-old allowed seven hits and three runs in seven innings of a 6-4 defeat of Milwaukee on Tuesday.
He's alternated pairs of wins and losses throughout 2010, losing twice in a row before the victory over the Brewers. Win No. 4 of the season for Nolasco came with a 10-8 decision over the Mets on May 16, which boosted his career record against New York to 4-6.
Nolasco is 3-1 with a 3.50 ERA in five road starts.
The Mets snapped a six-game losing streak in this series with Friday's 4-3 triumph. Florida took two of three matchups between these teams in New York from April 6-8 and has gone 8-6 at Citi Field since the stadium opened at the start of the 2009 season.