(SportsNetwork.com) - The suddenly streaking New York Mets turn to right- hander Zack Wheeler to continue the momentum when they host the Miami Marlins to begin a three-game series on Friday night at Citi Field.
Wheeler has pitched well in three of four outings in spite of a 1-2 record.
He allowed three runs in six innings while getting a no-decision in his most recent start on Sunday against Atlanta, in a game the Mets ultimately won, 4-3, in 14 innings.
Wheeler faced the Marlins on July 30 last season and gave up just three hits and two runs in seven innings in a 4-2 victory at Miami.
The Mets face Miami's Henderson Alvarez, who's allowed three earned runs or less in each of his four starts.
He picked up his initial win of the season in his last outing on Saturday, going the nine-inning distance while allowing just two hits in a 7-0 defeat of Seattle.
Alvarez is 2-1 in three career starts against the Mets, including wins in both outings last season.
He allowed six runs in five innings when first facing them in 2012, but gave up just two runs in 14 1/3 innings in 2013.
New York has won four of its last five games to improve to 12-10 on the season after starting 8-9 through 17 games.
On Thursday in New York, Bartolo Colon tossed seven strong innings and Daniel Murphy drove in a pair of runs to lead the Mets over the St. Louis Cardinals, 4-1, in the finale of a four-game set.
Colon (2-3) allowed just one run on four hits and struck out eight, as the Mets took three of four from the defending National League champions.
Murphy ended 2-for-3 and Chris Young hit his first homer of the season for New York, which has won seven of 10 to move two games above .500 for the season (12-10).
Eric Young Jr. scored two runs and Curtis Granderson showed signs of breaking out of a season-long slump with a key RBI for his new club.
Meanwhile in Atlanta on Wednesday, Evan Gattis' pinch-hit, two-run double in the eighth inning lifted the Braves over the Marlins, 3-1, at Turner Field.
Gattis, hitting for center fielder Jordan Schafer, lined a 1-1 offering from reliever A.J. Ramos down the left field line to score Ramiro Pena and Dan Uggla with the go-ahead runs and help the Braves take two of three. Ramos came on for Mike Dunn to face Gattis. Dunn (1-3) was hit with the loss, getting charged with two runs on one hit, striking out three and walking one in one inning of work.
Christian Yelich extended his hitting streak to 17 games with an eighth-inning bunt single, as the Marlins failed to follow-up a three-game sweep of the Mariners.
Miami won 11 of its 19 matchups with the Mets last season.
[SportsNetwork.com]
