Chicago @ Florida preview
Sun Life Stadium
Last Meeting ( Sep 18, 2010 ) Chi. Cubs 5, Florida 3
The Chicago Cubs look for their second consecutive series sweep today against the Florida Marlins.
The Cubs got six strong innings from rookie Casey Coleman on Saturday night to drop the Marlins 5-3, and move to 7-1 on their current road trip. Chicago starters haven’t given up more than two runs in any start on this trip, checking in with a 1.27 ERA.
Chicago (67-81) is now 16-7 since Mike Quade took over from Lou Piniella on Aug. 23 and is 11-3 on the road since then to improve the club’s season record as visitors to 34-39. The Cubs got a big fifth inning at the plate Saturday, putting four runs on the board to give Coleman some run support. Marlon Byrd hit a two-run double and Aramis Ramirez also added an RBI double to put the Cubs ahead for good.
Chicago sends Jeff Samardzija (1-1, 7.00 ERA) to the mound, as the young right-hander looks to make an impression on the big club after spending most of the year in the minors.
He was called up to take Carlos Silva’s spot in the lineup and managed to pick up his first win as a starter, navigating his way through 5 2/3 shutout innings in a 5-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday. Samardzija gave up six hits and walked four, but the Cardinals couldn’t get to him with the big hit they needed.
Samardzija has never started against the Marlins (73-74) but has a 4.91 ERA against them when coming out of the bullpen.
The Cubs landed in Florida at a good time. The Marlins have dropped five straight games and eight of their last 11 heading into today’s series finale. Florida hasn’t lost six straight games since August 2009.
Florida gives Andrew Miller (1-2, 6.75 ERA) the ball today. Miller is coming off a pair of rough starts against the Philadelphia Phillies.
He allowed seven earned runs on 11 hits over four innings against Philadelphia on Sept. 9 before taking an 11-4 loss to the Phillies in his most recent outing. Miller gave up three homers and five earned runs over five innings in that one. This will be Miller’s first start against the Cubs.
Florida’s Hanley Ramirez sat out his second straight game on Saturday with a sore left elbow. Hitting .301 with 21 home runs, 76 RBIs and 91 runs scored this season, the shortstop considered day-to-day.