The Miami Marlins are fighting for the final National League wild card spot with under 40 games left to play in the regular season. The team is battling Atlanta, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and St. Louis who all sit within two games of one another to reach the playoffs. Getting a series against the worst team in the American League can certainly help the effort as the Texas Rangers have started to focus on 2015.
The Marlins are benefitting from strong pitching recently. Their rotation has a combined 2.68 ERA over a 6-2 home stretch. The starters have put up quality starts in six of their last seven games and Nathan Eovaldi looks to keep the momentum going. While the starting pitcher has a 6-7 record with a 3.96 ERA on the season, he has struggled playing at home, not recording a win there since May 21. He is currently 0-3 at home with a 6.38 ERA. In his last home start against St. Louis, he gave up four runs and eight hits in just six innings. Not to mention he has not exactly gotten run support from his teammates who posted have failed to give him more than two runs in seven of his last eight home games.
The Marlins found their bats on Tuesday getting the 4-3 win in extra innings. Giancarlo Stanton drove in the winnings run. Chrstian Yelich went 3 for 5 while being 16 for 33 in an eight-game hitting streak. That should help as the Marlins continue their series against the Rangers. Miami certainly likes interleague play as they are 12-4 this season.
The Rangers are struggling. They have scored four runs or less in 16 of their last 18 games. Nick Martinez will take the mound. He is 2-9 with a 5.27 ERA on the season. He has struggled in his last 12 games, going 1-8 with a 7.01 ERA after putting up a 2.28 ERA in his first nine appearances. In his last start, he gave up four runs in six innings to the Los Angeles Angels.
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