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5/16 - Marlins @ Mets - 7:05 PM ET


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Florida Marlins ace Josh Johnson has allowed either one run or none in three of his last four outings, but he hasn't won any of them.

 

Facing the New York Mets might help him break that drought, but facing them in Flushing might not.

 

Johnson takes on the Mets on Monday night in the opener of a two-game series at Citi Field as the Marlins look to avoid rare back-to-back road losses.

 

Johnson (3-1, 1.63 ERA) ended April by holding his last five opponents to two total earned runs before giving up five in 7 1/3 innings of a May 5 loss at St. Louis.

 

The right-hander's winless streak reached four starts Tuesday against Philadelphia, but the Marlins (23-16) still came out on top. Johnson held the Phillies to one run over seven innings, striking out seven but leaving a tie game against Roy Halladay. Florida reached Halladay for the deciding run in the bottom of the eighth and prevailed 2-1.

 

Johnson is 8-1 with a 2.73 ERA in 13 starts versus the Mets (19-21), including a 6-2 home win April 1 in which he allowed two runs over 6 2/3 innings to open the season.

 

Mets sluggers Carlos Beltran and David Wright are a combined 11 for 55 against Johnson.

 

Those numbers would all appear favorable for Johnson, but his two starts at Citi Field last season may have been the worst of his career in this series. He gave up eight runs over 10 innings, and suffered his only loss to the Mets 7-1 on April 5, 2010.

 

Florida will be counting on Johnson to help bounce back after failing to complete a sweep Sunday against Washington. Javier Vazquez gave up six first-inning runs en route to an 8-4 defeat.

 

"It was a very rough first inning for Javy and that changed the whole strategy and it put us in a hole right away," manager Edwin Rodriguez said.

 

Florida is 11-7 on the road, where it hasn't lost consecutive games since April 10 and 12, at Houston and Atlanta.

 

New York has been getting itself turned around after a rough start. The Mets capped off their third straight series victory Sunday in Houston with a big day from second baseman Justin Turner, who hit a three-run homer and had five RBIs in a 7-4 win.

 

Turner finished the series 5 for 13 with six RBIs.

 

"You spend a few years in the minor leagues and you've been able to play for a while and you say 'If I just had a chance, if I just had a chance,'" manager Terry Collins said.

 

"Well, here's his opportunity and he's making the most of it."

 

New York will hand the ball to Mike Pelfrey (3-3, 5.74) in the opener of this two-game set. Pelfrey won the first meeting of his career with Florida, but is 0-7 with a 5.78 ERA in 12 starts against the Marlins since.

 

He gave up five runs -- including John Buck's grand slam -- over 4 1/3 innings in the opening-day loss to Johnson and the Marlins.

 

Omar Infante is 8 for 17 and Greg Dobbs 7 for 17 with a homer off Pelfrey.

 

Pelfrey will be seeking his third straight victory overall. He held San Francisco to two runs over 7 2/3 innings in a 5-2 win May 5, then limited Colorado to three solo homers over 6 2/3 in Tuesday's 4-3 victory.

 

"He's just challenging hitters more," Wright told the Mets' official website. "He's going right after guys instead of trying to pick a little bit."

http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/preview?gameId=310516121

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I smell a PPD...

 

 

a Porta Potty Drainage?

 

Rain out, but yes to that as well.

 

haha...well 15 minutes they're saying. Damn I hope this game doesn't on too late

 

I can now take a shower????

 

JJ is gonna kick ass and chew bubble gum...and he's all out of bubble gum. :cool (even though he has $$$$$$$$$$$$)

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I smell a PPD...

 

 

a Porta Potty Drainage?

 

Rain out, but yes to that as well.

 

haha...well 15 minutes they're saying. Damn I hope this game doesn't on too late

 

I can now take a shower????

 

JJ is gonna kick ass and chew bubble gum...and he's all out of bubble gum. :cool (even though he has $$$$$$$$$$$$)

 

He'll spit sunflower seeds then! But yeah it's always good to see JJ on the mound

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