Marlins at Giants
After hearing incessant boos at home, the Miami Marlins open a nine-game road trip Tuesday against the San Francisco Giants. Miami has lost eight of nine following Monday’s 9-5 loss to Arizona. But the Marlins have a good chance to halt their skid behind starter Ricky Nolasco, who is 3-0 with a 0.76 ERA in three career starts in San Francisco.
San Francisco completed April with a 12-10 mark, with manager Bruce Bochy saying the Giants "haven't quite clicked yet.” One guy he doesn’t have to worry about is Angel Pagan: The center fielder has a career-high 14-game hitting streak.
TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, FS Florida (Miami), CS Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Ricky Nolasco (2-0, 3.20 ERA) vs. Giants RH Matt Cain (1-1, 2.37 ERA)
Nolasco dominated the Mets the last time out, allowing one run and five hits over seven innings, but closer Heath Bell blew the save. Batters are hitting .242 against Nolasco, who is 4-2 with 1.61 ERA in six career starts against the Giants. But third baseman Pablo Sandoval is 4-for-10 versus Nolasco with a homer and two doubles.
Cain has allowed three hits and zero runs in 18 career innings against the Marlins, striking out 15 and walking one. The 27-year-old has a ridiculous WHIP of 0.63 this season, and two of his four starts have been complete-game shutouts. Cain, though, already has served up four homers, compared to nine all of last year.
WALK-OFFS
1. Giants catcher Buster Posey is fourth in the NL with a .353 average.
2. San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy has used 17 different lineups in 22 games, but has kept the top four spots in the order fairly constant: Angel Pagan, Melky Cabrera, Pablo Sandoval and Posey.
3. Marlins third baseman Hanley Ramirez is in a 2-for-34 slump.