(Photo credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images)

The New York Mets pitched well, fielded well and hit in the clutch Saturday afternoon.

Now New York has to find out if that's its recipe for a path back into contention, or just another tease in a frustrating season.

The Mets will look to earn their second sweep on Sunday afternoon, when they host the Miami Marlins in the finale of a three-game series between the National League East clubs.

Nolan McLean (2-4, 4.40 ERA) is slated to start for the Mets against fellow right-hander Janson Junk (3-5, 4.80).

Christian Scott collected his first career victory Saturday, when he tossed five innings of one-run ball to lead the Mets to a 6-1 win.

The win was the third straight for the Mets, who remain in last place in the NL East at 25-33, a half-game behind the Marlins.

The Mets broke a scoreless tie in the fourth, when Mark Vientos hit a two-RBI double off the left field wall and Marcus Semien had a run-scoring single. The multi-run inning was the third in the last two games for New York, which had just three multi-run frames while losing six of eight from May 20 through Wednesday.

A pair of potential Marlins rallies on Saturday were snuffed out by right fielder Carson Benge and center fielder A.J. Ewing, who robbed Kyle Stowers and Otto Lopez of extra-base hits with running catches at the warning track in the fourth and fifth.

The Mets, who spent the offseason emphasizing 'run prevention,' have a fielding run value of minus-five runs per Baseball Savant.

'You continue to stay positive, you continue to trust your players that at some point they're going to come through,' New York manager Carlos Mendoza said. 'It's just good to see some of the guys here playing with some confidence, playing loose and having fun and picking each other up.'

The loss continued a frustrating stretch of inconsistency for the Marlins, who were retired in order three times in the final four innings by four Mets relievers.

'That's how it goes -- they made plays today,' Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. 'You try to get a good pitch to hit, you put a good swing on it and, after that, there's not a whole lot that's within your control.'

The Marlins have dropped four straight following a four-game winning streak. Miami has been limited to one run in three of the defeats and has scored four runs or fewer 19 times in 28 games.

The loss also ensured the Marlins will fall to 2-7 in series play this month despite winning at least one game in every set before facing the Mets. Miami suffered its lone sweep this season from April 10-12, when the Detroit Tigers took three straight in Michigan.

McLean took the loss in his most recent start last Monday, when he gave up seven runs over 3 1/3 innings as the Mets fell 7-2 to the visiting Cincinnati Reds. The 24-year-old rookie has allowed 16 runs (13 earned) over nine innings in his last two starts as his ERA has risen from 2.92 to 4.40.

Junk earned the win last Monday after allowing one run over five innings in the Marlins' 8-2 victory over the host Toronto Blue Jays.

McLean has never opposed the Marlins and Junk has never faced the Mets.

--Field Level Media