Struggling on Offense
The Arizona Diamondbacks had one of the best offenses in the major leagues when they traveled to Dolphin Stadium for a three-game set with the Florida Marlins last month.
The Diamondbacks scored three runs while being swept in that series, and have had one of baseball’s worst offenses ever since.
Still in first place in the NL’s worst division, Arizona will try again to get its lineup going as it returns to Florida to face the Marlins on Friday.
Oddsmakers from Sportsbook.com have made Florida -113 money line favorites (MLB Odds) for tonight’s game, the over/under has been set at 9 total runs (Matchup). Current public betting information shows that 65% of bets for this game have been placed on Florida -113 (View MLB Bet Percentages).
The Diamondbacks (40-39) were averaging 5.4 runs – second-most in baseball – and were a major league-best 28-16 on May 20 when they took on Florida for the first time in 2008.
The Marlins (40-38) proceeded to sweep three games from Arizona at Dolphin Stadium, limiting the Diamondbacks to three runs in a series capped by a 4-0 win May 22.
"A lot of people in here are frustrated with the way we’re playing," Arizona pitcher Dan Haren said after that loss. "We know we’re better than that."
Arizona, though, has failed to show it. The Diamondbacks are 12-20 since leaving Florida and are averaging 3.4 runs since May 20 – third-worst in baseball during that stretch.
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They’ve lost five of six games on their nine-game road trip, scoring a total of 12 runs. Arizona mustered three hits in losing the finale of a three-game set in Boston 5-0 on Wednesday.
"It’s miserable," manager Bob Melvin told the Diamondbacks’ official Web site of his team’s offensive woes. "Especially after the way we started, expectations are high, guys expect to do well, and to go through prolonged periods of it is very frustrating."
The Diamondbacks’ task is unlikely to get any easier against Ricky Nolasco (7-4, 4.31 ERA). The right-hander has won five of his last six decisions beginning with a seven-inning outing against Arizona on May 21, his second win in as many career starts versus the Diamondbacks.
Nolasco allowed three hits and one run while striking out seven in that 3-1 win, and has a 3.52 ERA in his last seven outings.
He’s 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in his last three starts. Nolasco didn’t get a decision in his last outing Saturday, when he gave up three runs over seven innings in a 6-4 win at Oakland.
Florida should be happy to see an NL team coming to town. The Marlins concluded their interleague schedule at 5-10, losing their last four.
They allowed 27 runs while getting swept in three games by Tampa Bay this week, and the offense wasn’t much better than the pitching. Florida scored eight runs in the series and had one hit in Thursday’s series finale, a Hanley Ramirez homer in a 6-1 loss.
The Marlins have dropped six of their last eight games and nine of 13.
"We’re not struggling," Ramirez told the team’s official Web site. "Anything can happen. You just got to keep your head up and keep playing hard."
Ramirez and the Marlins will get a second look at Micah Owings (6-6, 5.11) in Friday’s series opener. Owings allowed three runs over seven innings and struck out a career-high 10 against Florida on May 20, but suffered a 3-2 loss.
He won his next start, but the right-hander has struggled in his last five outings, going 0-4 with an 8.53 ERA.
His last start was better, though, as he gave up three runs in 6 1-3 innings of a 6-1 loss to Minnesota on Saturday.
"That’s how this game goes sometimes," Owings said. "I feel like I was more myself tonight. I’ve been fighting some things, and I’m going to build on this."
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