Miami Needing Spark To Ignite Offense In Interleague Series
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CHICAGO, Ill. (SportsDirect Inc.) -- The Miami Marlins need to rediscover their offense if they wish to remain a prominent player in the postseason conversation.
Limited to just four runs in the last three outings, Miami looks to find a spark on Saturday as it plays the second contest of its three-game interleague series versus the visiting Chicago White Sox.
The Marlins, who are clinging to a half-game lead over St. Louis for the National League's second wild-card spot, suffered a 4-2 setback in the series opener on Friday to fall for the seventh time in 10 outings this month.
Marcell Ozuna has struggled in August, going 1-for-24 in his last seven games and is 4-for-16 with four strikeouts in four career contests versus Chicago.
With his 5-year-old son in attendance, White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu had a pair of singles to improve to 15-for-36 with three homers and six RBIs during his last eight contests. While Abreu has hit safely in five contests, teammate Tim Anderson has done him one better as Chicago has split its last eight games after going 1-6 in its previous seven.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago, FSN Florida (Miami)
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH James Shields (5-14, 5.43 ERA) vs. Marlins LH Adam Conley (8-6, 3.70)
Shields has answered six straight quality starts with a pair of tough ones, allowing 14 runs on 15 hits in his last 6 1/3 innings - including four homers in 1 1/3 frames of a shellacking by Baltimore on Sunday. The 34-year-old has posted a 6.68 ERA and 1.69 WHIP in 12 starts since being traded to the White Sox. Shields looks to rebound versus Miami, against which he owns a 6-2 career mark with two complete games and one shutout.
Aesthetically pleasing it was not, but Conley improved to 4-1 in his last seven starts on Sunday despite allowing six runs on seven hits - including two homers - in a 10-7 triumph at Colorado. The 26-year-old also permitted four walks and has issued 17 free passes in his last five outings. Through it all, Conley has pitched well at home, going 3-0 with a 1.37 ERA over his last four starts to improve to 4-3 while limiting the opposition to a .227 batting average.
WALK-OFFS
1. Miami is just 4-8 in interleague play, with its win total matching Cincinnati (4-11) for the fewest in the majors.
2. Chicago LF Melky Cabrera has three RBIs during his four-game hitting streak.
3. Marlins OF Christian Yelich, who struck out in all four at-bats on Friday, is 0-for-8 on the heels of an eight-game hitting streak.
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