Marlins Look To Claim Rubber Match In Series Against Philly
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MIAMI (CBSMiami/SportsDirect) – It took a while but the Miami Marlins offense may have finally busted out of its brief slump.
After ending his team's pronounced scoring drought at 24 innings, Giancarlo Stanton looks to help the host Marlins claim the rubber match of their three-game series against the National League East-rival Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday afternoon.
The Phillies kept Stanton under wraps all season, limiting the slugger to a 3-for-33 performance with 14 strikeouts prior to his two-RBI effort in a 5-0 victory on Tuesday.
While Miami moved within four games of first-place Washington after evening the season series at six wins apiece, Philadelphia fell to 4-8 since the All-Star break.
Cesar Hernandez recorded one of the Phillies' four hits Tuesday to improve to 7-for-17 with four RBIs in his last four games.
The 26-year-old has 12 hits in as many games versus Miami this season and is 1-for-5 in his career versus Wednesday starter Adam Conley.
TV: 12:10 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, FSN Florida (Miami)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Zach Eflin (3-3, 3.40 ERA) vs. Marlins LH Adam Conley (6-5, 3.58)
Eflin recorded his second complete game in four outings Friday after scattering three hits in a 4-0 win over Pittsburgh in his eight career start.
The 22-year-old rookie did not walk a batter for the fourth time in six trips to the mound en route to improving to 2-1 on the road this season.
Eflin rebounded from a disastrous nine-run performance in his major-league debut versus Toronto on June 14 to record a 2.08 ERA in his ensuing seven starts.
Conley settled for his second straight no-decision Friday despite yielding two earned runs for the third consecutive contest.
The 26-year-old, who pitched six strong innings against New York, is 2-0 with a 2.35 ERA and 21 strikeouts in four starts (23 innings) this month.
Conley showed his worth versus Philadelphia on May 16, allowing one run in six innings of a 5-3 victory at Citizens Bank Park.
WALK-OFFS
- Miami OF Ichiro Suzuki singled Tuesday to move within three hits of 3,000 for his major-league career.
- Philadelphia LF Cody Asche is mired in a 1-for-29 stretch with 12 strikeouts over his last nine games and could be replaced by a returning Aaron Altherr (wrist) as early as Thursday.
- Marlins 2B Derek Dietrich is 0-for-16 with seven strikeouts in his last five contests.
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