New York @ Miami preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 27, 2014 ) Miami 0, NY Mets 4

Giancarlo Stanton and his Miami Marlins teammates are thriving at home and look to keep the success going when they open a three-game series against the New York Mets on Monday. Stanton hit two homers in Sunday’s victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers to raise his National League-leading total to 10 as the Marlins improved to 14-5 at home. New York salvaged the finale of a four-game set with Colorado, posting a 5-1 victory over the Rockies.

The five National League East teams are separated by 1 1/2 games top to bottom as New York and Miami meet for the second time this season – the Mets won two of three at home late last month. Miami’s major league-best home mark has kept the Marlins in the mix and manager Mike Redmond is thrilled with the dominance. “I don’t know if there is a recipe to play in this ballpark, but there is a comfort level,” Redmond told reporters. “It has taken a couple of years to kind of settle into this ballpark. I love our at-bats, our approach. We have so much confidence in this ballpark with our fans.”

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), FSN Florida (Miami)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets LH Jonathon Niese (2-2, 2.20 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Nathan Eovaldi (2-1, 2.58)

Niese has won back-to-back outings over St. Louis and Philadelphia. He has given up just one run in each of his last three starts, allowing 14 hits in 19 2/3 innings during the stretch. Niese is 3-5 with a 4.17 ERA in 13 career starts against the Marlins.

Eovaldi has also put together three consecutive strong efforts, giving up just two earned in 19 innings during the stretch. He took no-decisions in the first two starts of the span before beating Atlanta in his last turn when he gave up one run and three hits in seven innings. Eovaldi is 1-2 with a 3.58 ERA in five career games against the Mets.

WALK-OFFS

1. New York OF Eric Young Jr. was hit below the right eye with a baseball during a batting-practice incident prior to Sunday’s game and is day-to-day with a bruised cheek.

2. Stanton is 7-for-18 with two homers against Niese while INF Jeff Baker – who delivered a walkoff run-scoring double on Sunday – is 6-for-12 against him.

3. Mets OF Juan Lagares, who has a career-best 13-game hitting streak, is 3-for-3 against Eovaldi and 2B Daniel Murphy is 4-for-11 with two doubles.

PREDICTION: Marlins 3, Mets 2