Koehler, Marlins Aim For Weekend Sweep Over Reds
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MIAMI (CBSMiami/SportsDirect) – The Miami Marlins have been playing solid baseball for a while and could enter the MLB All-Star Break on a very high note.
The Marlins look to record their first series sweep in over two months on Sunday afternoon when they host the reeling Cincinnati Reds in the finale of their three-game set.
The Marlins have posted back-to-back two-run victories over the Reds to give themselves a chance to bring out the brooms for the first time since sweeping the Arizona Diamondbacks on May 3-5.
Veteran Martin Prado continued his hit parade with three in Saturday's 4-2 victory to increase his total to 17 in his last nine contests.
Slugger Giancarlo Stanton added a run-scoring single to extend his hitting streak to six games, during which he is 9-for-23 with four homers, eight RBIs and six runs scored.
While Miami's success versus Cincinnati has helped it turn the page from a disastrous 3-6 road trip, the latter has dropped 13 of 17 to have it crawling on its knees toward the All-Star break.
Brandon Phillips, who is playing with a hairline fracture in his left hand, had an RBI single on Saturday and is 7-for-15 during his four-game hitting streak.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), FSN Florida (Miami)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds LH Cody Reed (0-3, 9.00 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Tom Koehler (6-7, 4.40)
Reed lost his third straight start on Monday after allowing eight runs (four earned) on five hits in four innings of a 10-4 rout by the Cubs.
Chicago took the rookie to task in back-to-back outings, accounting for 15 runs (11 earned) on 14 hits - including five homers - in eight frames.
Positives have been few and far between for Reed, who has recorded 22 strikeouts in 20 innings.
Koehler has followed a three-game winning streak by going 0-1 in his last three outings, with a leaky bullpen squandering a four-run lead en route to a no-decision versus the New York Mets on Monday.
The 30-year-old was taken deep twice for the second time in three outings and did not record a strikeout for just the second time in 17 starts.
Koehler suffered a hard-luck loss in his last encounter with the Reds, permitting two unearned runs on five hits in seven innings on July 31, 2014.
WALK-OFFS
- Cincinnati CF Billy Hamilton, who tweaked his right knee in the series opener, is 4-for-33 in his last nine games.
- Miami SS Adeiny Hechavarria is 0-for-14 in his last four contests.
- Reds OF Jay Bruce replaced injured Cubs OF Dexter Fowler on the National League roster for the upcoming All-Star Game.
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