(SportsNetwork.com) - Bartolo Colon aims to become the first eight-game winner in the National League when the New York Mets try to avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of the Miami Marlins Sunday afternoon at Citi Field.
The 42-year-old right-hander snapped a two-start losing streak Monday against the Phillies when he allowed three runs over six innings. He leads the National League in walks per nine innings (0.730), and amazingly has received a decision in each of his last 22 outings, dating to July 23, 2014. That is the third-longest stretch without a no-decision in franchise history and the longest since Dwight Gooden got a decision in 25 consecutive contests from June 2, 1993-June 24, 1994.
Colon has compiled a 4-3 mark with a 3.42 ERA in seven games against the Marlins. He's 2-0 with a 1.23 ERA in two starts against them at Citi Field.
On the downside for Colon, Giancarlo Stanton, who homered twice in Saturday's 9-5 Miami win, is 5-for-8 with a pair of homers and five RBI lifetime against the veteran.
"You have to make pitches on him," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "He's outstanding, he's a tremendous talent. There's nobody with any more power in all of baseball than he's got."
David Phelps will try to snap a personal two-start losing streak when he toes the rubber for the Marlins. The righty has given up four runs in each of those two outings, against Arizona and Pittsburgh. Phelps is 0-1 with a 5.73 ERA in three games against the Mets. That includes a no-decision in Miami's 4-1 loss on April 17 when Colon was the opposing pitcher at Citi Field. In that game, Phelps gave up only one hit in 4 2/3 innings.
On Saturday, Christian Yelich hit a go-ahead, two-run single in the seventh inning and the Marlins hit four home runs.
Stanton belted a pair of solo homers, J.T. Realmuto smacked a two-run shot and Jeff Baker added a solo blast to power the victory.
Martin Prado accounted for three of Miami's 14 hits, and six relievers combined for 5 2/3 scoreless innings to close out the club's second straight win. Mike Dunn (1-3) stranded runners on the corners in the sixth and earned the win.
"To mix and match the way they did, scoreless, a tremendous, tremendous job," Marlins manager Dan Jennings said.
Both bullpens worked overtime thanks to Tom Koehler and Jon Niese being ineffective. Koehler was pulled in the fourth inning having allowed five runs on seven hits and four walks, and Niese's woes continued as he surrendered five runs -- four earned -- on seven hits over four frames.
Ruben Tejada went 2-for-4 with a three-run double for the Mets, who left 11 on base and dropped just their second home series of the season.
If Miami wins Sunday, the Marlins will attain their first road sweep of the Mets since Sept. 8-10, 2009. The Marlins are 4-5 versus the Mets this season, dropping the first five games before winning the last four.
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