Marlins at Phillies
Two teams looking to turn their seasons around meet when the Miami Marlins visit the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series. The Phillies have dropped seven of their last eight games and are one of the worst offensive teams in the majors while Miami’s pitching woes have led to a 3-10 start after being swept in four contests against the New York Mets.
The Marlins have a major-league high 5.10 ERA and the offense has not come through in key situations. “It’s been a frustrating couple of weeks for everybody,” Miami’s promising left fielder Christian Yelich -- batting only .200 -- told reporters after the 7-6 loss to the Mets on Sunday. Philadelphia begins a six-game homestand after a 1-6 road trip when it scored 16 total runs and batted .210 overall. Cody Asche has been a bright spot offensively for the Phillies with a .350 batting average while All-Star Chase Utley leads the team with eight RBIs, but is 5-for-43 overall.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Miami), CSN Philadelphia
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Dan Haren (1-0, 2.08 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Jerome Williams (0-1, 4.09)
Haren has pitched well in his first two outings with the Marlins, allowing three runs and seven hits in 13 total innings with seven strikeouts and only two walks. The 34-year-old Californian was 3-0 in April a season ago with the Los Angeles Dodgers and is 25-17 lifetime during the first full month of the campaign. Grady Sizemore (11-of-20, three homers) has been a problem for Haren, who is 1-5 with a 4.50 ERA in 10 career games against the Phillies.
Williams was knocked around for five runs (four earned) on 10 hits in five innings during a loss to the New York Mets in his last time out after a strong outing in his season debut. The Hawaii native, pitching for his seventh team, permitted one run and five hits with six strikeouts over six frames in a no-decision against Washington on April 10. Jarrod Saltalamacchia is 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles against Williams, who is 0-1 with an 8.31 ERA in two starts versus Miami.
WALK OFFS
1. Miami 2B Dee Gordon is among the league leaders with 21 hits and has nine RBIs from the leadoff spot.
2. Philadelphia’s rookie CF Odubel Herrera is 9-of-20 with four doubles in the last five contests.
3. Marlins All-Star RF Giancarlo Stanton has begun to warm up while going 8-of-23 with two homers, three doubles and eight RBIs in his last six outings.