(Sports Network) - Anibal Sanchez tries to continue his terrific bounce-back season this evening, when the Florida Marlins play the rubber match of their three-game series against the New York Mets at Citi Field.
After winning 10 games and throwing a no-hitter in his rookie campaign, Sanchez has endured three injury-plagued and inconsistent seasons that has resulted in just eight wins. However, this year the 26-year-old right-hander has remained healthy and has been a solid option for the Marlins, having gone 10-8 with a 3.16 earned run average.
Sanchez was brilliant against the Houston Astros on Friday, scattering three hits over seven scoreless innings. It was the sixth time in his last seven starts that he allowed two runs or less.
"That's my goal, making more than 10 wins each year," said Sanchez. "The only reason is because I'm healthy."
Sanchez lost to the Mets the last time he faced them, though, and is 3-4 lifetime against them with a 4.23 ERA in eight starts.
After dropping the opener of this set on Tuesday, Florida exacted a measure of revenge last night, when Hanley Ramirez went 4-for-5 and drove in a run to lead the Marlins to a 5-4 win.
Logan Morrison, who turned 23 years old Wednesday, added three hits -- including his first career triple. Fellow rookie Alex Sanabia (3-1) picked up the win after limiting the Mets to three runs -- two earned -- in 6 1/3 innings. He allowed four hits and walked one.
"I really do feel like [all my pitches] are working," Sanabia said. "With my slider, before it was really iffy, but now I trust it."
Wes Helms went 2-for-3 with a walk for the Marlins, who snapped a two-game slide.
David Wright went 2-for-4 for New York and led off the bottom of the ninth with a home run. The Mets went on to load the bases, but Jose Reyes grounded out to end the game.
New York had won three of four overall, is now a half-game back of the Marlins in the NL East standings and trails Philadelphia and San Francisco by seven games for the Wild Card lead.
"We've dug ourselves a deep hole, there's no question, but if we get hot and rattle off five, six, seven in a row -- or even just put together a few weeks of winning series, we're right back in the thick of this thing," Wright said.
Mets starter Pat Misch (0-3) took the loss after allowing four runs -- three earned -- on nine hits in six innings.
Florida improved to an NL-best 26-12 against left-handers with Tuesday's win and will try to up that mark even further this evening against southpaw Jonathon Niese, who is 8-5 with a 3.33 ERA.
Niese earned the win Saturday in Pittsburgh, as he held the Pirates to a run and five hits in five innings. He has now allowed one run in each of his last four starts.
Niese beat the Marlins on June 5 and is 1-2 with a 3.60 ERA in three starts against them.
Florida has taken nine of 15 meetings with New York so far this season, but the Mets have won five of the last eight games in this series.