Stanton, Marlins Go For Series Win Over Slumping Giants
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MIAMI (CBSMiami/SportsDirect) – The Miami Marlins are looking to get back on a roll and a series win over the NL West leading San Francisco Giants will go a long way.
Giancarlo Stanton has driven in at least one run in each contest of his five-game hitting streak.
The 26-year-old powerhouse looks to continue to come up with the clutch hit on Wednesday afternoon as the host Marlins play the rubber match of their three-game series with the Giants.
After combining for 15 runs on 31 hits in the series opener, the teams' offenses fell silent on Tuesday with Stanton's broken-bat RBI double serving as the loudest of the seven hits.
The slugger has been rendered powerless versus Wednesday starter Jeff Samardzija, going hitless in three at-bats on April 22 and 3-for-19 with six strikeouts in his career.
While Miami has won three of five to keep a tenuous grasp on the second wild-card spot in the National League, San Francisco has dropped 16 of 23 since the All-Star break - including five of eight on its nine-game road trip.
Brandon Crawford followed up his historic seven-hit performance in the opener by going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts on Tuesday.
TV: 12:10 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), FSN Florida (Miami)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Jeff Samardzija (9-8, 4.40 ERA) vs. Marlins RH David Phelps (5-5, 2.45)
Samardzija lost his third straight start on Friday after allowing five runs in seven innings of a 5-1 setback at Washington.
The performance is nothing new for the 31-year-old, who has yielded at least four runs in seven of his last eight outings en route to a 1-4 mark.
Samardzija looks to rebound versus Miami, against which he improved to 4-1 in his career after permitting one run in 7 2/3 innings of an 8-1 victory on April 22.
Phelps fared well in a spot start on Friday, scattering four hits on 70 pitches over 4 1/3 innings in a no-decision at Colorado.
The 29-year-old has turned in scoreless outings in each of his last five trips to the mound, four of which have come in relief.
Phelps won his lone career start versus San Francisco after allowing one run on six hits in as many innings.
WALK-OFFS
- San Francisco OF Angel Pagan and Miami LF Christian Yelich are riding eight-game hitting streaks.
- Marlins CF Marcell Ozuna, however, is 0-for-18 in his last five contests.
- Giants OF Hunter Pence is 1-for-11 with six strikeouts in this series.
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