Seattle @ Miami preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 26, 2011 ) Seattle 2, Florida 1

Major-league RBI leader Giancarlo Stanton looks to continue a strong start when the Miami Marlins open a three-game series against the visiting Seattle Mariners on Friday. Stanton has driven in 21 runs in 16 games and is already nearly one-fourth of the way to his best season total while batting .299 with five homers. Seattle enters on a three-game losing streak as the teams play for the first time since the 2011 campaign.

The Mariners began the season strong but have reverted back to form with five losses in six games to drop a game below .500. Offseason acquisition Robinson Cano belted his first homer of the season – a three-run shot – in Thursday’s 8-6 loss to the Texas Rangers but is batting just .271 and slugging just .356. Miami has lost nine of its last 10 games after a 5-1 start and is struggling despite the torrid hitting of Stanton and fellow outfielder Christian Yelich, who brings a career-best 11-game hitting streak into the series.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), FSN Florida (Miami)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Chris Young (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Nathan Eovaldi (1-1, 4.19)

Young had a strong first start with the Mariners as he blanked Oakland on four hits over six innings. Overall, he has allowed four hits in eight scoreless innings as he attempts to revive a career that appeared in stall mode when he didn’t pitch in the majors last season. Young is 3-1 with a 2.62 ERA in six career starts against the Marlins.

Eovaldi allowed four runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings while taking a no-decision against the Philadelphia Phillies in his last outing. He has struck out 19 and walked just one in 19 1/3 innings through three starts. Eovaldi tossed six shutout innings – allowing five hits and walking none – in a no-decision against the Mariners on June 8, 2012, when he was a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

WALK-OFFS

1. Stanton is 3-for-5 with two homers, a double and four RBIs against Young.

2. Seattle INF Willie Bloomquist (11 at-bats) and OF Corey Hart (seven at-bats) are both hitless against Eovaldi.

3. Miami is 5-4 against Seattle but the Mariners won two of three in the 2011 series in Seattle.

PREDICTION: Marlins 4, Mariners 2