Marlins Back From Road Trip Ready To Face Struggling Giants
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MIAMI (CBSMiami/SportsDirect) – A potentially very entertaining series will begin on Monday night in Miami.
The San Francisco Giants seemingly only know how to play close games at Marlins Park, and it is highly likely they'll be in for more of the same as they visit the Miami Marlins for the opener of their three-game series.
The Giants and Marlins have squared off 13 times since the stadium opened in 2012, and 10 of the contests have been decided by two runs or fewer.
National League Cy Young Award candidates Johnny Cueto of the Giants and Jose Fernandez of the Marlins are scheduled to square off and have combined to hold the opposition to two or fewer runs in 28 of their 43 starts this season, although neither managed to win his last time out.
San Francisco fell to 6-15 since the All-Star break following Sunday's 1-0 loss in Washington and holds only a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.
The Marlins (59-52) rebounded from a three-game sweep by the Cubs in Chicago by taking two of three in Colorado over the weekend and have a one-game edge over St. Louis in the race for the NL's second wild-card spot.
Miami saw another high-profile chase come to an end in Sunday's victory over the Rockies, as Ichiro Suzuki became the fourth player born outside the United States and 30th in major-league history to reach 3,000 hits.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), FSN Florida (Miami)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Johnny Cueto (13-3, 2.73 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Jose Fernandez (12-6, 2.87)
Despite striking out 10, Cueto saw his winless streak reach four starts and settled for a no-decision Wednesday in Philadelphia after giving up four runs and seven hits over 7 2/3 innings.
The two-time All-Star, who is 8-1 with a 2.82 ERA in 12 road turns, has yielded at least four runs in four of his last seven outings after doing so only twice through his first 15.
Cueto allowed five runs - three earned - over five frames in a setback versus the Marlins last season, falling to 4-2 with a 4.18 ERA in eight career starts against them.
Fernandez, who surrendered three runs in six innings during Tuesday's loss to the Cubs, has dropped consecutive starts in the same season for only the second time in his career.
The 2013 NL Rookie of the Year is eight strikeouts shy of 200 and returns to Miami hoping he can improve upon his brilliant 26-2 record and 1.62 ERA in 38 career starts at home.
Fernandez took the loss in San Francisco on April 23 after allowing four runs in six frames, falling to 1-1 with a 5.25 ERA in two turns versus the Giants.
WALK-OFFS
- Suzuki, who became the second-oldest major-league player to reach the 3,000-hit plateau, joined Hall-of-Famer - and former hitting coach - Paul Molitor as the only players to do so with a triple.
- San Francisco has lost three of Cueto's last four starts after winning 16 of his first 18.
- Miami LHP Hunter Cervenka, who was acquired from Atlanta on Saturday, debuted with a perfect sixth inning on Sunday and has stranded 25 of the last 29 baserunners he has inherited.
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