Marlins Seek A Season-High 5th Consecutive Home Victory
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MIAMI (AP) --Poised to successfully support Mat Latos in his return from the disabled list, the Marlins seek a season-high fifth consecutive home victory Saturday against the slumping Rockies.
Miami (26-36) hit 13 home runs while losing 16 of its first 26at home but has gone deep seven times in the last four. Martin Prado launched his fourth and rookie J.T. Realmuto clubbed a three-run shot in the eighth to break open Friday's 5-1 victory.
"It was a tremendous at-bat to battle and get that ball out," manager Dan Jennings said of Realmuto. "That was big for us."
Miami has won six of seven at home following a nine-game skid there and has batted .316 with a 23-6 run advantage in its last four at Marlins Park.
Giancarlo Stanton homered in three consecutive home contests before settling for a single and a double Friday. He's 10 for 19 with three doubles and four homers in his last five overall.
After David Phelps and Jose Urena combined to allow one run over 14 2-3 innings in the first two of this set, the Marlins hope Latos (1-4, 6.12 ERA) returns strong from a knee issue that's kept him out since May 21.
The right-hander allowed 11 runs over 8 1-3 innings to go 0-1 in his last two major league starts but looked good while yielding three hits and striking out four in 4 1-3 of Monday's rehab outing for Triple-A New Orleans.
"He felt strong, his (velocity) certainly indicated that," Jennings told MLB's official website. "He had some of the best, if not the best, velocity we've seen all year."
Latos is 4-0 with a 3.25 ERA in his last five starts versus Colorado, but the Marlins have homered three times while he's gone 0-2 with a 10.18 ERA in his four home outings this season.
Carlos Gonzalez is batting .316 (6 for 19) with a double and a home run against Latos. He homered Friday for Colorado (27-33), which has batted .208 and totaled three runs during a three-game skid.
"We're having a hard time stringing hits together," manager Walt Weiss said.
Though Troy Tulowitzki is batting .455 during an 11-game hitting streak, he and Gonzalez are a combined 3 for 16 in the series. Tulowitzki is 2 for 16 with a double and a homer versus Latos.
Having nailed down a spot in the Rockies rotation, David Hale (2-0, 4.12) makes his fourth start but first on the road this season. He gave up three runs, two homers and struck out seven in seven innings of an 11-3 win over St. Louis on Monday.
Though Hale has allowed five home runs in his last two starts, Weiss has been pleased with the right-hander's resiliency.
"The thing I like about David is when he gives up the home run, he goes right back in the zone," Weiss said. "He has not been scared away from the strike zone after a home run. He continues to attack and throw strikes. Very encouraging."
Hale threw nine scoreless innings of relief over five games against the Marlins in 2014 for Atlanta.
Marcell Ozuna is 0 for 5 versus Hale but batting .367 with nine RBIs during a 13-game hitting streak.
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