Phillies at Marlins
Bright spots have been few and far between for the major league-worst Philadelphia Phillies, although Nick Williams is doing his best to make a favorable impression. The 23-year-old has two homers and eight RBIs during his three straight multi-hit performances heading into the team's rubber match of the three-game series versus the host Miami Marlins on Wednesday afternoon.
Williams belted a two-run homer to cap Tuesday's 5-2 triumph for the Phillies, who have just three wins in their last 11 games. While Williams has three homers in his last six games, he has a long way to go to be confused with Miami slugger Giancarlo Stanton. The 2016 Home Run Derby champion went deep for the third time this series on Tuesday to increase his National League-best total to 29 for the Marlins, who have dropped four of their last five contests. Christian Yelich is 0-for-8 with three strikeouts in this series on the heels of going a blistering 14-for-31 during a seven-game hitting streak.
TV: 12:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, CSN Philadelphia, FSN Florida (Miami)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Nick Pivetta (2-5, 5.63 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Dan Straily (7-4, 3.32)
Pivetta fell to 1-2 in his last four outings on Friday after surrendering a season-high nine runs on seven hits in five innings of a 9-6 setback at Milwaukee. "This is his first go-round in the big leagues," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin told reporters. "He's shown us a lot of promise and I like what he's been doing. (That performance) wasn't his best." The 24-year-old British Columbia native allowed two homers in that contest and nine over his last five outings heading into his first career encounter versus Miami.
While Pivetta will be getting his first look at Miami, Straily has dominated Philadelphia to the tune of a 2-0 mark with an 0.77 ERA in two career starts. The 28-year-old struck out 10 and yielded one earned run in 6 2/3 innings of a 10-2 rout versus the Phillies on May 31. Straily owns a 3-0 record in his last seven outings after receiving a no-decision following a five-inning start versus the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday.
WALK-OFFS
1. Philadelphia 3B Maikel Franco is 11-for-22 with two homers and six RBIs in six meetings this season with Miami.
2. Marlins 2B Dee Gordon is 19-for-57 with 13 runs scored this month.
3. Philadelphia RHP Luis Garcia has allowed batters to hit just .132 against him during his career-best 15 1/3 scoreless innings streak.