Florida @ Atlanta preview
Turner Field
Last Meeting ( Aug 27, 2010 ) Florida 7, Atlanta 1
The Florida Marlins have gone from afterthought to contender in less than a week.
Seemingly buried in the NL East, the Marlins moved within 7 1/2 games of division-leading Atlanta by walloping the Braves 7-1 in the opener of a three-game series Friday night.
Florida can move even closer this weekend if they can solve Atlanta ace Tim Hudson on Saturday and continue to chip away at the Braves' major league-best 44-18 home record.
The Marlins, who had appeared content to roll out their youth movement and build up some momentum for next year, showed they meant business in Friday's series opener, launching four home runs off Tommy Hanson.
With Atlanta still looking to regain its equilibrium after blowing a nine-run lead in a 12-10 loss at Colorado on Wednesday, the Marlins jarred the Braves' wounded psyche when Cameron Maybin homered on the very first pitch of the game and rookie Lance Morrison followed with his first career homer.
Dan Uggla and rookie Gaby Sanchez reprised the feat in the sixth by going back-to-back off Hanson to start the sixth inning. The final blast KO'd Hanson, who had not allowed a home run in 47 2/3 innings entering the contest.
It marked the fourth consecutive defeat for Atlanta, which had maintained its lead in the East only because the Philadelphia Phillies was swept in a four-game series by the Houston Astros.
Suddenly the Braves have to be focus on the Marlins as well – especially with the teams scheduled to meet eight more times this season.
Atlanta will turn to Hudson (14-5) to put the brakes on its skid. The 35-year-old right-hander is coming off back-to-back no-decisions, but prior to that he had won five straight starts, surrendering just two runs during that spectacular stretch.
Hudson has had great success in his career against the Marlins, going 8-3 with a 3.02 ERA in 17 career starts vs. them.
However, he was saddled with the loss in his last outing vs. Florida on July 4, allowing three runs on six hits while striking out seven and walking one in a 3-2 loss at Turner Field.
Hudson has had his troubles with Uggla, who is batting .351 (13-of-37) with two homers in his career against him. The Florida second baseman has four homers and nine RBIs in his last five games against the Braves.
Ricky Nolasco (14-8), who missed his last start and was thought to be lost for the season with a torn meniscus in his knee, will be facing the Braves for the third time this season – all while matched against Hudson.
The 27-year-old right-hander allowed just two runs on six hits in seven innings to earn the win in the Fourth of July duel. Both pitchers were pulled after four innings on May 27 following a rain delay.
Nolasco is 4-5 with a 4.38 ERA lifetime against the Braves, but he turned in an overpowering performance at Atlanta in his final start of 2009, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out 16.