Florida (79-72) hasn't reached the playoffs since winning the World Series in 2003 and currently sits third in the NL East, 5 1/2 games behind first-place Philadelphia. However, the Marlins have used a season high-tying winning streak to move within five games of wild card-leading New York.

The Marlins will meet the Mets in their final series of the regular season starting Sept. 26 in Florida.

On Wednesday, the Marlins pounded out 18 hits in a 14-2 rout of the Astros (80-71). Hanley Ramirez homered twice before departing with an injured shoulder and is day-to-day, Jorge Cantu hit a grand slam and Alfredo Amezaga finished with four RBIs.

"Everything's clicking for us right now," the Marlins' Ricky Nolasco said. "It starts with the starting pitching, go out there and get our offense in the dugout as quick as possible. At any given time, we can do what we did tonight and put up 14 runs."

The Marlins haven't won eight in a row since taking nine straight from Aug. 21-29, 2006. They also haven't swept a three-game series from the Astros since Sept. 20-22, 1996 in Florida.

But while the Marlins are rolling, the Astros are stumbling down the stretch. They had won six straight and 14 of 15 to charge back into the playoff race before Hurricane Ike interrupted their momentum.

Houston was limited to one hit as it lost two relocated home games to the NL-leading Chicago Cubs in Milwaukee earlier this week. The Astros then dropped the first two contests of this set to fall four games behind the Mets for the wild card.

"Obviously, those guys are pretty hot over there swinging the bats, but we didn't execute one pitch all night," Astros manager Cecil Cooper said. "And we're not swinging the bats - it's a double-edged sword."

Houston's pitching staff has compiled a 7.15 ERA during its slide, while the offense has mustered a .101 batting average (12-for-119).

The Astros hope for better results at the plate against Scott Olsen (7-10, 4.31 ERA), who looks to build off his first win in nearly two months.

The left-hander went 0-6 with a 5.74 ERA in nine starts - all Marlins losses - since beating Philadelphia at Dolphin Stadium on July 19. On Friday, he held Washington to a run and six hits over six innings of a 2-1 victory.

Olsen is 2-0 with a 4.26 ERA in two career starts against the Astros.

He'll be opposed by Alberto Arias (1-0, 1.93), who pitched well in his first major league start for Houston after 18 career relief appearances with Colorado. The right-hander, acquired off waivers July 31, scattered two hits and struck out six over five shutout innings of a 3-2 home win over Pittsburgh on Sept. 8.

Arias has never faced the Marlins.