MIAMI -- The New York Mets won the NL East last season, finishing 19 games ahead of the third-place Miami Marlins.This year, the Marlins have made up that gap -- all of it -- and lead the Mets in the race for the second and final wild-card spot by 1 1/2 games.The Mets, who made the World Series last year, are in danger of not even making the playoffs this season, thanks, in part, to the improvement by the Marlins.Starting Friday night, the Marlins (52-43) will host the Mets (50-44) in a key three-game series.(The Marlins are) playing very, very well, Mets manager Terry Collins told the New York media this week. Weve got to win two (of three). Weve got to make up ground. Its going to be a big weekend.The highlight of the series will come on Saturday night, when Miamis Jose Fernandez (11-4, 2.53 ERA) will face New Yorks Jacob deGrom (6-4, 2.38).Fernandez is 25-1 with a 1.43 ERA in his career at Marlins Park. In six career starts against the Mets, home or away, Fernandez is 2-0 with a 1.32 ERA.Hes almost unbeatable at home, Collins said. Thats no fun (for opponents).Fridays opener will feature Miami left-hander Adam Conley (6-5, 3.61) against Logan Verrett (3-6, 4.21).On Sunday, New York will start the left-hander when it sends Steven Matz (7-6, 3.56) against Miamis Jose Urena (1-1, 6.23).Given the pitching matchups and how New Yorks offense has struggled lately, especially with runners on base, the Mets may be battling just to avoid a sweep by Sunday.Still, as bad as things seem for New York at the moment, Mets fans can take solace in the fact that their team looked similarly lifeless at this point last season. Then they made one major trade, getting slugger Yoenis Cespedes, and added several smaller pieces such as reliever Tyler Clippard and veteran hitters off the bench such as Kelly Johnson and Jose Uribe.The moves worked, and the Mets overtook the front-running Washington Nationals.This year, the Nationals -- backed by former Mets standout Daniel Murphy -- are in front again. But now the Nationals have two serious challengers in the division -- the Marlins and Mets -- instead of just one.With this years non-waiver trade deadline looming at midnight on July 31, the Marlins and Mets are hoping to be active as buyers. The Marlins are looking for one of two starting pitchers, while the Mets could use more offense in addition to pitching depth.The Marlins offense figures to get a boost on July 28 when second baseman Dee Gordon returns from an 80-game suspension after it was ruled that he had used performance-enhancing drugs.Marlins manager Don Mattingly has said Gordon would be slowly eased back into his former role as a starter.Gordon, who won an NL batting title and led the league in steals last year, is the only true speed threat on the team and also plays excellent defense. He figures to be the every-day starter before too long, assuming he retains his previous form.That would displace Derek Dietrich, who has done an excellent job filling in at second. The Marlins could look into trading third baseman Martin Prado and replacing him with Dietrich. After all, Prado is a free agent after this season, doesnt provide much power and will turn 33 in October.But Prado is a team leader, and the Marlins are reluctant to trade him now that they smell playoffs.Power-hitting first baseman Justin Bour is also set to return soon from an ankle injury, further complicating Mattinglys decisions on playing time.In addition to the pennant race and the imminent return of Gordon and Bour, the other major story is Ichiro Suzukis chase to become the 30th major-leaguer to reach 3,000 hits. He would tie Roberto Clemente on the hit list once he reaches the milestone.Suzuki needs four more hits to get there, and the Marlins are hoping it happens during this 10-game homestand.Either way, Suzuki is immensely popular in Japan, Seattle and pretty much anywhere there are baseball fans. Its hard not to root for the 42-year-old star, who has contributed in outstanding fashion this season as Miamis fourth outfielder.Meanwhile, the Mets are awaiting the return of first baseman Lucas Duda (back) and starting pitcher Zach Wheeler (elbow surgery) -- two players they hope to get off the disabled list next month.On Wednesday, Duda swung a bat and took grounders for the first time since landing on the DL in May. Wheeler, meanwhile, is set to throw a bullpen session in front of Mets coaches on Friday in Miami.In other story lines regarding the series:The Marlins tied a season best on Thursday night by going nine games over .500. Before this year, the last time they were nine games over was in 2011. The last time they were nine games over in the second half of a season was in 2009.Marlins closer A.J. Ramos has 31 saves. With one more save, he ties his career high, which was set last year.Mets closer Jeurys Familia has saved 49 consecutive chances, the longest active streak in the majors and fourth-longest in baseball history. Eric Gagne has the record with 84, followed by Tom Gordon (54) and Jose Valverde (51).The Marlins are 11-5 in July and have not lost consecutive games this month.Mets infielder Wilmer Flores already has seven homers this month. Saucony Scontate . James, who turned 29 on Monday, injured his groin Friday during the Heats overtime loss at Sacramento. He sat out the following game, a 108-107 win Saturday in Portland, before coming back to help send the Nuggets to their seventh consecutive loss. Saucony Scontate Uomo . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from. http://www.sauconyscontate.it/ .S. Open champion Justin Rose birdied the first hole with a blind shot he hit to a foot of the pin, and he stayed in front Tuesday until he completed a 4-under 67 for a two-shot lead over Jason Dufner in PGA Grand Slam of Golf. Saucony Outlet Italia .Y. -- Leading 3-0 with only 11:25 left, the Colorado Avalanche committed a seemingly meaningless penalty to give the New York Islanders a power play. Scarpe Saucony Offerta . Anthony Calvillo, through 20 CFL seasons, was frequently invincible and largely stoic in the heat of competition. But underneath the professional exterior he was, and is, compellingly human. MELBOURNE, Australia -- Denmark has vowed to go on the offensive in the final round of the World Cup, believing that to be the best strategy to protect a four-shot lead earned in Saturdays third round.The title is tantalizingly within reach for Soren Kjeldsen and Thorbjorn Olesen after a two-under 70 in the third round foursomes propelled them to 14-under at Kingston Heath.Attack for sure. We try to take shots on and more so in the fourball. A lot of birdies are going to be made tomorrow, so we have to make birdies too, Kjeldsen said.Only American duo Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker made ground on the Danes. The United States was one of only two teams to break 70, shooting a three-under 69 to advance to second place at 10-under and, importantly, into the last pairing for the last round.On whether the Danes will feel extra pressure playing alongside the Players champion and US PGA champion, Kjeldsen quipped: Theyre not going to play my Srixon or Thorbjorns Titleist.Olesen cautioned everyone not to get ahead of themselves to predict a Danish victory. I had a seven-shot lead in Turkey and it got down to one. So, I know how easy it can slip away. A four-shot lead is nice, but its not going to be easy, he said.The Americans are ready for the fight as Walker agreed the last group was the best vantage point to launch an assault on the lead.Thats a good place to be going into the last day, Walker said. Im excited, I know Rickies excited and were looking forward to a good day.Fowler said: It would be nice to be out front or a little closer, but with where we were coming into today, just putting up a solid round of golf was what we wanted to do. We did that and we gave ourselves a chance going into tomorrow. Its going to take some good golf and some birdies, obviously, but it will be nice being in that final group to know exactly where we stand.China couldnt apply any heat playing alongside the Danes as Ashun Wu and Haotong Li stood still on the scoreboard after a 72 left them at nine-under, five back in third place.No team thats midfield or better was prepared to concede defeat. Very low scores are possible, as evidenced by Denmarks sizzling 12-under 60 in Fridays fourball competition.New Zealand, nine shots ooff the pace, reflected the optimism when Ryan Fox revealed the game-plan to be employed by he and partner Danny Lee.ddddddddddddannys the one that hits them straight, so he hits first and then I can just lash at everything pretty much. Hopefully, I can chip in on a few holes like I did on Friday and get some putts to go in. Theres a good score out here, especially if the conditions are like today, Fox said.Even host nation Australia is preparing a bullish strategy, despite a seemingly impossible task a whopping 10 shots behind the leaders.Its definitely a lot easier to be aggressive in the fourball when you know youve got your partner on the green or in the fairway already. But you dont want to be too aggressive and finish up short-sided in a bunker and then youve only got one putt at it (birdie). Thats what well be concentrating more on tomorrow is trying to get two birdie putts on every hole and, hopefully, one of us will make it and go to the next and do it again, Marc Leishman said.The ball striking has been good and neither of us have putted bad, they just havent gone in. Weve hit a lot of good putts that have looked like going in and burning the edges (of the cup). Hopefully, theyll drop tomorrow and we can try and beat Denmarks score (60) yesterday. I think well have to.England, which started the day five shots behind, blew its chances with a horrendous back nine, leaking six shots in the last eight holes for a 77 to fall back into the pack at two-under.Chris Wood and Andy Sullivan, playing alongside the Americans, were in joint third place after a birdie at the 10th before shedding shots at 11, 13, 16 and 17 and then a crushing double-bogey finish.Wales and Thailand certainly didnt get anything going. Amazingly, neither team could find a single birdie playing together in the middle of the field.Welsh pair Bradley Dredge and Stuart Manley ran up two double bogeys and four more dropped shots in an eight-over 80, while Thai duo Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat had a triple bogey at the par-four 16th to sign for 77 to fall back to even par for the tournament. Wholesale Hoodies NFL Shirts Outlet Jerseys NFL Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '