Marlins at Cardinals
The Miami Marlins look to continue their hot hitting and complete a series sweep for the first time this season when they visit the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday afternoon for the finale of a three-game set. Starlin Castro and Derek Dietrich each delivered four hits Wednesday as the Marlins recorded an 11-3 victory after scoring seven in the series opener to snap a six-game slide in which they totaled 14 runs.
Castro is 13-for-36 during an eight-game hitting streak while Dietrich homered Wednesday and is 16-for-33 over his last nine contests for Miami, which has gone deep five times in the series to improve to 11-21 on the road. Marlins rookie Elieser Hernandez will try to complete the sweep when he takes the mound against fellow right-hander Miles Mikolas, who can tie Michael Wacha for the team lead with seven wins. The Cardinals had allowed two runs in two wins before Miami came to town, but dropped to 5-7 against National League East opponents after two rough nights on the mound. Jose Martinez had three hits Wednesday and is 7-for-15 during a four-game hitting streak for St. Louis, which is 3-3 with one contest left on its homestand.
TV: 1:15 p.m. ET, FS Florida, FS Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Elieser Hernandez (0-3, 4.29 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Miles Mikolas (6-1, 2.49)
Hernandez allowed five runs on five hits, including three homers, over three innings at Arizona last Friday after posting three solid starts. The 23-year-old Venezuela native gave up four runs on 14 hits and one walk over 15 innings in the first three starts of his major league career despite going 0-2 in that stretch. Hernandez owns a 6.77 ERA on the road in two starts and has given up five homers in 21 innings overall in 2018.
Mikolas suffered his first loss of the season last Friday when he permitted two runs (one earned) across six innings in a 4-0 setback against Pittsburgh. The 29-year-old Floridian, who spent the previous three seasons in Japan, yielded two or fewer runs in eight of his last nine starts. Mikolas, who has given up just six homers and eight walks in 72 1/3 innings in 2018, is 0-0 with a 5.68 ERA in three career appearances (one start) against Miami.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cardinals starting pitchers have allowed just 26 homers, which is the least in the majors.
2. Miami 3B-RF Brian Anderson has six multi-hit games in his last nine outings, going 15-for-37 in that stretch.
3. St. Louis RHP Matt Bowman (blisters) and RHP Greg Holland (hip) are expected to begin rehab assignments with Triple-A Memphis on Thursday.