(Sports Network) - Johan Santana will try to keep his perfect record against the Florida Marlins intact when the two ballclubs resume a three-game series this evening at Shea Stadium.

Santana made his Mets debut on March 31 at Florida and limited the Marlins to a pair of runs and three hits in seven innings of a 7-2 victory. The effort pushed Santana's mark to 3-0 with a 1.96 ERA in three career starts against Florida.

The left-hander and two-time AL Cy Young Award winner was 4-0 in six starts before his last outing on Thursday at Atlanta. Santana was reached for four runs -- three earned -- and 12 hits in seven frames of a 4-2 defeat. The performance left Santana with a 5-3 mark and a 3.36 ERA in 10 starts in 2008.

New York will rely on its prized free agent to stop a two-game slide on Tuesday in the second test of this series at Shea. The Mets lost for the seventh time in eight tries after last night's 7-3 loss in the opener of the set, as Jose Reyes belted a pair of solo homers in defeat.

Luis Castillo, David Wright and Carlos Beltran each had two hits, while starter Mike Pelfrey was touched for six runs -- four earned -- on six hits in four innings to absorb the loss. The Mets are 0-1 on their seven-game homestand versus Florida and Los Angeles.

The NL East-leading Marlins have won three in a row and six of seven, and opened a 10-game road trip with last night's 7-3 triumph. Luis Gonzalez sealed the win with a three-run double, while Jeremy Hermida and Matt Treanor each finished 2-for-5 with a run batted in for Florida, which is 2 1/2 games ahead of both Atlanta and Philadelphia in the division standings. New York is 6 1/2 games off the pace.

Ricky Nolasco had a shaky start for the Fish, but settled down and allowed only three runs on nine hits and a pair of walks in five innings. Three relievers then combined to throw four scoreless innings to preserve the win. Florida will also face Philadelphia and Atlanta on its current trek against NL East foes.

Andrew Miller gets the starting nod for the Marlins on Tuesday, and is 4-3 with a 5.33 earned run average in 10 outings this season.

Miller is 4-1 in his last six trips to the hill, and defeated Arizona the last time out on Thursday in South Beach. He hurled seven shutout frames and gave up five hits in a 4-0 victory.

The young left-hander was beaten by the Mets on April 2 this season after he surrendered five runs and eight hits over 4 1/3 innings of a 13-0 drubbing. Miller is 1-1 with an 8.38 ERA in two career appearances against New York.

New York won two of three games against Florida at Dolphin Stadium to open the 2008 campaign from March 31 - April 2. The Mets have won six of the last 10 meetings with the Marlins.