Miami @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 17, 2015 ) Miami 1, NY Yankees 2

Alex Rodriguez is inching closer to another milestone and the New York Yankees are again being very quiet. Rodriguez will attempt to record the three hits he needs to reach 3,000 for his career when the Yankees host the Miami Marlins in the finale of a four-game, home-and-home series on Thursday.

Derek Jeter’s drive toward 3,000 hits for the Yankees a few years ago was an event that was celebrated by all of baseball, but most loudly by his own organization. New York has been much more low-key about Rodriguez’s accomplishments this season, whether due to clauses in his contract or as a reaction to his past PED usage, even though he is about to join Hank Aaron as the only two players in history with at least 3,000 hits, 600 home runs and 2,000 RBIs. The Marlins took both the games at home to start the week but were held out of the hit column on Wednesday until Christian Yelich took Michael Pineda out of the yard in the seventh inning of a 2-1 New York win. CC Sabathia will try to match Pineda’s effort when he starts for the Yankees on Thursday against Marlins righty Mat Latos.

TV: 7:05 p.m. FSN Florida (Miami), YES (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Mat Latos (2-4, 5.44 ERA) vs. Yankees LH CC Sabathia (3-7, 5.38)

Latos turned in his best effort of the season against Colorado on Saturday, when he struck out a season-high 11 over a season high-tying seven innings. The 27-year-old allowed one run on four hits and two walks to snap a three-start winless streak. Latos has never faced the Yankees and is 1-2 with a 2.42 ERA in four road outings this season.

Sabathia’s up-and-down season trended in the wrong direction again Saturday at Baltimore, when he was reached for four runs and eight hits in five innings. The burly veteran has surrendered two home runs in each of his last two starts and 14 in 77 total innings in 2015. Sabathia was lit up in his last chance against a National League opponent, yielding seven runs and nine hits – three homers – against the Mets on April 25.

WALK-OFFS

1. Yelich is 5-for-11 with a homer and four runs scored in the last three games.

2. The Marlins have lost four straight road games to fall to 12-21 away from home.

3. Rodriguez last recorded at least three hits in a game when he went 4-for-5 against the Los Angeles Angels on June 5.

PREDICTION: Marlins 8, Yankees 4