Offense Back For Fish
Before embarking on their first trip to Seattle, the Florida Marlins’ offense finally got back on track.
The Marlins look to build off their latest win on Monday when they open a three-game series against the Mariners, who look to avoid losing eight consecutive home games for the first time in more than a decade.
Oddsmakers from Sportsbook.com have made Seattle -106 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 76% of bets for this game have been placed on Florida –104 (View MLB Bet Percentages).
Florida (37-32) defeated Tampa Bay 9-3 on Sunday to avoid a sweep in the Citrus Series and snap a three-game losing streak.
The Marlins lead the majors with 103 homers, but had scored just four runs and had no home runs during their skid before Mike Jacobs and Wes Helms connected on three-run shots on Sunday.
"We finally got it going," Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez told the team’s official Web site. "We are capable of swinging the bats, of putting some runs on the board, so hopefully we can ride it out for a month or so."
While the Marlins broke out of their funk Sunday, Gonzalez still needs star second baseman Dan Uggla to regain his power stroke.
Uggla, who leads Florida with 19 home runs, went hitless in four at-bats on Sunday, and is just 1-for-23 (.043) with nine strikeouts in his last six games. His batting average has dropped from .310 to .285 during his slump.
The Marlins won for just the fourth time in their last 16 road games Sunday, but they’ll be visiting a team that has had no success at home lately.
The Mariners (24-45) lost to Washington 6-2 on Sunday to drop their seventh straight at Safeco Field and are an AL-worst 14-22 at home. This is their longest home skid since an eight-game slide from July 28-Aug. 12, 1996 at the Kingdome.
"We find a different way to lose every night," Jarrod Washburn told the Mariners’ official Web site. "We pitch well, we don’t hit. We hit well, we don’t pitch.
"We’re just not good. To sum it up, we’re just not playing good baseball, and we haven’t shown any signs of turning it around. It’s frustrating. It’s embarrassing."
Carlos Silva (3-7, 5.79 ERA) takes the ball for the Mariners, and he’s been struggling regardless of where the game is played.
After going 3-0 with a 2.49 ERA in six April starts, Silva has gone 0-7 with a 8.79 ERA in his last eight. He has dropped his last five starts – the longest losing streak of his career.
On Tuesday, he yielded three runs and nine hits in seven innings of a 3-1 loss to Toronto.
Silva is 2-0 with a 2.90 ERA in 21 games – one start – lifetime against Florida. In that lone start on June 23, Silva allowed one run and four hits in seven innings of an 11-1 win for Minnesota.
Florida counters with Andrew Miller (4-5, 5.22), who hopes to build off one of his best starts of his career – and get a win.
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On Wednesday, Miller gave up one run, four hits and struck out seven in seven innings of a 6-2 victory over Philadelphia, but did not factor in the decision. The left-hander retired 14 straight at one point and faced the minimum 18 batters through six innings.
In his only career start against Seattle on July 12, Miller allowed three runs, six hits and struck out six in five innings of a 3-2 loss for Detroit.
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