New York @ Florida preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 5, 2011 ) NY Mets 3, Florida 9

THE STORY: The Florida Marlins have their first three-game winning streak in more than a month. They'll need righthander Chris Volstad to snap his four-start losing streak to keep it going when they continue a three-game home series against the New York Mets on Tuesday at Sun Life Stadium. The Marlins took the series opener, 9-3, on Monday. Florida leads the season series 9-7 despite losing four of five last week at Citi Field.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, SportsNet New York, Fox Sports Florida

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Miguel Batista (4-2, 4.33 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Chris Volstad (5-12, 5.48 ERA)

Batista beat the Marlins on Thursday in his first start for the Mets, allowing two runs over six innings in a 7-5 win. The win improved him to 3-4 with a 3.11 ERA in 26 games (nine starts) against Florida.

Volstad remains winless in six major-league starts since July 10, and he has lost all four starts during his current stint in the majors. That includes a 3-2 loss Tuesday at New York in which he allowed three runs (two earned) over 6 1-3 innings. Volstad is 1-3 with a 3.40 ERA in seven starts against the Mets.

ABOUT THE METS (68-71): The Mets had won eight of 10 entering the series to get within two games of .500, but they slipped another game from the break-even mark with a lackluster showing Monday. They did end the game on a good note, though, with Jason Bay hitting his 11th home run in the ninth inning.

ABOUT THE MARLINS (63-77): The Marlins have won three straight for the first time since July 31-Aug. 2, and they stretched the winning streak with a rare offensive outburst Monday. Florida had 15 hits in the series opener. Volstad would like to see a repeat - the Marlins have scored three runs or fewer in each of his past four starts.

FINAL PITCH: Four Marlins players had three hits Monday - Emilio Bonifacio, Jose Lopez, Gaby Sanchez and Logan Morrison - marking the first time at least four Marlins have had three hits in a game since five players accomplished the feat in a 13-0 win over the Chicago White Sox on May 23, 2010.