Marlins at Padres
Jose Urena looks to avoid becoming the first Miami Marlins pitcher to start a season 0-8 when he takes the mound Wednesday against the host San Diego Padres. Miami opened the four-game series between the two last-place teams with Monday's 7-2 victory before the Padres answered with a 9-5 win on Tuesday.
Rookie outfielder Franmil Reyes belted his third home run and first baseman Eric Hosmer went 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored Tuesday as the Padres won for the third time in their last eight games. The Padres continue to exercise patience with 23-year-old outfielder Manuel Margot, who had 13 homers as a rookie last year but has just 30 hits in 147 at-bats this season. “We’re committed to watching him continue to play on a pretty consistent basis and show that he can make the adjustment here,” manager Andy Green told reporters. “He’s putting in a relentless amount of work. We’re confident Manny’s going to battle through the other side.” Miami is facing a similar situation with promising center fielder Lewis Brinson, who committed two errors on Tuesday and is batting .157 with 63 strikeouts in 52 games.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FS Florida (Miami), FS San Diego
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Jose Urena (0-7, 4.69 ERA) vs. Padres LH Clayton Richard (3-6, 4.97)
Urena matched his career high with seven strikeouts but received a no-decision last Friday after allowing four runs on a pair of homers over six frames against Washington. The 26-year-old native of the Dominican Republic is winless over his past 13 starts dating back to last September, a team record. Freddy Galvis is 4-for-13 against Urena, who is 0-2 with a 4.22 ERA in two career starts against San Diego.
Richard saw his two-game winning streak come to an end last Friday, when he gave up four runs and four hits in six innings in a 4-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 34-year-old native of Indiana has pitched at least seven innings and allowed three earned runs or fewer in three of his last four starts. Richard has gone 3-2 with a 2.79 ERA in six career starts against Miami but took the loss after giving up five runs over seven innings in his last meeting on Aug. 27, 2017.
WALK-OFFS
1. San Diego closer Brad Hand has held opponents scoreless in 19 of his last 21 appearances.
2. Miami 1B Justin Bour is 16-for-48 (.333) with a home run in his career against San Diego.
3. The Padres optioned LHP Tyler Webb to Triple-A El Paso to make room for RHP Phil Hughes, who was acquired from the Minnesota Twins on Sunday.